Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli

Too Cold for BBQ

Happy Sunday! Okay, you’re probably thinking that this is a summer dish because it’s twice baked potatoes with broccoli and that you’re not going to make this because it’s way too cold out to BBQ. Well, my friends, you’re in luck because I am too lazy to bake potatoes on the BBQ even when it is in fact summer. Today, we use the microwave. If you don’t have a microwave, bake them in the oven for an hour.

Potato Problem

I’m not entirely sure how the idea for twice baked potatoes with broccoli came to me. I was flipping through my notebook, looking at all of the ideas I have written out and decided I didn’t feel like making any of that (sort of like when I am going out and have nothing to wear in my full closet), and said to myself: I could go for a twice baked potato right now. Actually, while we are on the topic of potatoes, I have a confession. I absolutely looove potatoes. It’s a bit of an issue. I cannot resist a potato, no matter how it is cooked, which is why it isn’t weird that I randomly craved a potato. I have only had twice baked potatoes a few times in my life (this might literally be the third time), but I think I need to have them more often. They’re so tasty!

Step by Step

First thing with this is to get your bacon cooking. You’re okay to just leave it a bit and flip it occasionally. In the meantime, wash your potatoes, cut off any gross bits, pat dry and poke a bunch of holes in them with a fork. This will allow steam to escape when they are cooking. Put your microwave on for five minutes, turn the potatoes over, and put them in for another five. BE CAREFUL when you are taking the potatoes out of the microwave. Your dish is going to be incredibly hot.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half. The inside might still be a little too hot, so just let them sit open for a few more minutes. To scrape the insides, I found it easiest to use a tea spoon. It also helps to use a paring knife (or a knife of similar size, that is sharp) to trace the inside of the potato, leaving a bit of potato attached to the skin so as not to tear it. Should you rip the potato skin, don’t fret because when you stuff the potato back in, you can get it to stick back together. If one rips and you decide it isn’t usable, just chop up the skin and add it to your potato mixture.

More Food Obsessions

I have a slight obsession with plain Greek yogurt. When I was in university, I found the most perfectly weird snack. I dipped a cracker (some sort of cheddar Triscuit that they don’t make anymore) into plain Greek yogurt. It was honestly like eating nachos and sour cream. I was hooked. Now, I tend to use plain Greek yogurt as a sour cream substitute all the time. They are both interchangeable as far as I’m concerned, so if you already have sour cream in your fridge, go for it! I’m all about using what you’ve got on hand. That being said, don’t let me catch any of you using 0% fat sour cream OR Greek yogurt. That’s where I put my foot down. Get the 14% stuff. It’s healthy fat anyways (which is why you should just get regular milk in your latte and not skim.. this isn’t the 90’s).

Sharing is Caring

For these bad boys, you can easily incorporate it into a meal or just share ’em up as an appetizer. Serve them right away, especially because the broccoli in this recipe will cool quite quickly. If you want to go for a “breakfast for supper” vibe, using your hands, mold a well into the potato after you’ve stuffed it and crack in an egg. Sure, some of the egg might run onto the baking sheet and mingle with the broccoli but it’s still going to bake nicely. I promise.

My Go To

Speaking of broccoli. I have been baking broccoli like this for quite a long time, it’s my absolute favourite. Usually, I just pop it in the oven for ten minutes at 450 degrees but with the potatoes, I did them a little longer. But HONESTLY, try doing the broccoli like this sometime on it’s own and I just know you will make it a staple!

Let me know what you think of these! And if you’re still not convinced about twice baked potatoes with broccoli when the weather is cold.. keep this recipe around until summer. Before you go, remember to sign up for The Fancy Napkins Newsletter.

Happy cooking!