Twice Baked Potatoes - Vegetarian

For those of you who have the America's Test Kitchen, Best Recipe Book, you can find this recipe on page 183. It is excellent.

Twice Baked Potatoes (makes eight halves)

4 medium russet potatoes (7 - 8 oz each), scrubbed, dried, and rubbed lightly with vegetable oil
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. buttermilk *
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 medium scallions (green onions), sliced thin
1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake the potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet until the skin is crisp and deep brown and a skewer easily pierces the potato, about an hour. Let the potatoes cook slightly, about 10 minutes.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise (be careful, they may still be hot!). Using a spoon (we use fruit spoons because they're sharp), scoop out the guts leaving 1/8 - 1/4 inch of potato edging the skin (makes a nice little bowl). Put the potato shells back on the baking sheet and put them back in the oven for around 10 minutes so they are dry and a little crisp.

While the shells are cooking mash the insides until smooth. Now mix the other ingredients with the mashed insides.

Take the shells out and set the oven to broil. Fill the shells with the potato mixture, mounding it slightly at the center. Put the filled shells back into the oven. Broil until spotty brown and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Let them cool a little and then eat!

* If you don't have buttermilk, you can fake it. Add 1 Tbsp of vinegar (or lemon juice) to one cup of milk to create one cup of butter milk. Let it sit for a few minutes. For this recipe, add 1.5 tsp of vinegar to a 1/2 cup of milk.