Twice Baked Potatoes, Family Size :)

Although I know football season just ended-- there is ways the next season... football, baseball, hockey, the olypics, and because it goes well with beer.  The twice baked potatoes featured here are easy, fast, and fool-proof!  The simple and universals approach for these means that even people who think they don't like potatoes will love these ;) Enjoy

Ingredients:

5 baking potatoes

1/2c bacon bits
3/4c moterilla cheese
1/4c milk
black pepper and seasonings to taste

Serves: 5, with two per person... but you know your guest!

Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, almost all of which is back time

These are such an easy party food- But they also go great with steak and breaded chicken!  Twice baked potatoes also freeze amazingly for the busy days of the week.


Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2) Bake five washed potatoes for 40 minutes.  Make sure you poke holes in to skin of the potatoes in several places first to avoid having to clean up an explode potato from your oven!

3) Grate or slice cheese and mix with bacon and milk. The milk is a healthier version of the butter you usually see in recipes like this :)

4) Once the potatoes are cook enough to touch-- cut them in half longways (as shown in the image to the right).

5) Scoop out the soft potato centers and add them to your bacon bit  mixtures.

6) With a serving fork or potato smasher, mix the potato thoroughly with  the bacon bit mixture.

7) Re-fill the potato skins with the bacon bit mixture to just over the hight of the potato skin-- this will help make the potatoes look decadent AND it will make sure you use up your ingredients  evenly ;)

8) Place the filled potato skins on a backing sheet and return to the oven for 30 minutes, if a crisp top is desired.  The crisp top is highly recommend! 

9) Serve hot!

Cost:

Potatoes       $1.50
Bacon bits    $1.00
Milk                $0.15
Cheese         $0.75
Total              $3.40
Per serving   $0.68

Cheesy Easy Party Poppers!

Parties are definitely happening this time a year-- and warm treats are always a big hit.  This recipe is a super easy and fast guest favorite. As much as I am usually a fan of doing things from scratch, that isn't always the best plan with the holiday bustle... So enjoy this Party Poppers right out of something you would except from a 1950's kitchen!

Ingredients:

 12 slices of cheddar cheese
2-3 slices of smoked turkey sandwich meat
(Depending on thickness)
1 roll of Ready-to -Bake Biscuits
That's it!

Serves: 12 poppers... But VERY easy to scale up ;)

Time: 18 min, with 12min  of that being the baking!

Directions:

1) Pre slice the cheddar cheese into slivers that can easily be rolled into the biscuits... The size will depend on the biscuits you buy.  The slicing of the turkey is the same.

2) Assemble cheddar cheese and turkey into the biscuit, pinching shut each one to create a roll.

3) Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Serve hot!

And that's it!!

Cost:

Biscuits    $1.35

Cheese     $0.35

Turkey     $0.80     

Total        $2.50 

I recommend serving with BBQ, or the Honey Hot Sauce as featured next ;)