Twice Baked Potato? Kind Of! Give This Alternative A Try!

Oven 400 Time: size of potato matters

It's no secret, I love potatoes, in all shapes and sizes, fixed any way, sweet, white, purple, and so on. One favorite way is a good ol baked potato, topped with a sauce, sour cream, butter, gravy, you name it, I've probably done it. Please note, I do have 2 twice baked potato recipes on here, as well as potatoes in other recipes. I call this way a twice baked potato, kind of. Unlike scooping out the potato and mixing with something, then piling back in and baking again, this particular recipe just calls for the potato to be fork fluffed in the crispy skin, topped with sautéed mushrooms, and cheese and put back in the oven just until the cheese melts, 2-3 minutes, in other words a quicker version of the twice baked potato we all make and love.

I also love mushrooms, and mushrooms and cheese together make a great marriage IMO, cheddar cheese being my favorite. Most people go the broccoli and cheese route, that's good too, but if you are tired of that combo give mine a try. I do find cremini, (or they may go by baby portobellos), are more flavorful in this dish, but any mushrooms work.

Mushrooms are very bland, as you know, they do need a green spice or two to perk them up and a bit of butter at the very end helps sauce them up. Mushrooms are one place I do use salt, as the salt helps bring out the moisture. I generally use thyme and rosemary when I sauté mushrooms, or Herbes de Provence works well too. I simply sauté the mushrooms in a little pan spray then add a little butter just before topping the potatoes with them.

Bake the amounts of potatoes you will want, in your favorite way

I rub mine in olive oil, prick and bake at 400 till done to my liking, size matters 45-60 minutes

In the meantime, I wipe down and slice my mushrooms in the amount I want, if whole

Sauté them and get my cheese shredded, I like to do my own, but prebought works great too

When potatoes are done, remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes, slice lengthwise, fluff up (see note) add buttery mushrooms and cheese and toss back in oven couple minutes to melt cheese

This way means way less work and time preparing to go back in oven, and less time when in there

Note: use a fork and carefully shred your potato being careful not to break the skin, lengthwise works best I have found, sort of like you would do your spaghetti squash

Also, for a crisper skin try baking the potato on a piece of shiny side up lightly sprayed foil, and I turn the potatoes halfway through baking time

I guarantee you won't miss the longer version, but of course like I always say your kitchen, your choice.

Stay safe!!