Potato Boats

Believe it or not, Kelly and I, unbeknownst to each other, both cooked up some potatoes last weekend. When I saw Kelly's recipe for Not Your Average Baked Potato earlier this week I had to chuckle, because here I had planned to post my potato recipe. After a few laughs we decided, it must be time for a couple of potato recipes.  

So my potato recipe this week is for Potato Boats, often called twice baked potatoes, but under either name I have to say they are delicious. Oh man, these little babies are good, in fact so good that I probably ate an entire serving of the potato filling goodness before I even started stuffing the potatoes. But then, after putting them in the oven and baking them again, the real magic happened - melted cheese, creamy and slightly tangy potato filling, and crispy potato skins, enjoy!

Potato Boats
Recipe from Good Housekeeping: Classic Home Cooking
Pictures by Caroline

4 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 large green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ teaspoon paprika

1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Prick potatoes with fork. Bake until tender, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add green onions and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. While potatoes are hot, using a pot holder, cut a thin lengthwise slice, about ½ inch thick, from each potato. With spoon, scoop out flesh into skillet; reserve shells. Scoop out flesh from tops into skillet. Mash potatoes, sour cream, salt, and pepper until smooth and well blended. Stir in ½ cup Cheddar. Spoon mixture into reserved shells, mounding slightly. Place on cookie sheet; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Cheddar and paprika.
4. Bake potatoes until hot and cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.