Recipes, Sides

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Easter is just one week away! Do you have your menu set? Even though this year will still be different than many years, I feel things are slowly starting to get back to ‘normal’. I say normal because I’ve been at the vaccination sites since January. I see the countless number of people coming through that are eager to feel safe again and ultimately begin to socialize (safely) again. This gives me hope as are these Twice-Baked Potatoes!

For any of the Holidays my family has a few traditional foods that we make. While it depends on the holiday, we have sweet potato casserole, cornbread, cornbread stuffing, apple crumb pie, & a few more in the rotations! However, we also try new recipes out as well. Keep in mind trying a new recipe is not always advisable when having a get together. We like to see if this new recipe will be a ‘keeper’ or not. A ‘keeper’ will ultimately make the cut and be a new addition to menus in the future.

Pear-**Pecan**-Blue Cheese Salad with **Balsamic Vinaigrette**.

My Easter Menu

My Easter menu for you all based on a few of my favorites. Additionally, there is something that we might typically eat, along with a new recipe for dessert. Because I am a pescatarian, sometimes we’ll make salmon for a dish, but I opted to prepare a tofu ‘loaf’. As always feel free to serve ham or whatever protein your family will like!

Tofu ‘Loaf’
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus
Blue-Cheese-Pecan-Pear Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Traditional Deviled Eggs
Pistachio Baklava Tartlets

Easter Menu – Planning

If the idea of creating a menu seems overwhelming, remember planning out the menu helps you in the long run. Planning helps organize all the dishes you’ll have as well as can help delegate what people need to bring. Avoiding duplicates or too many desserts is important. I always divide it out as the protein, carb, & veggies. I am a dietitian. And while it doesn’t always have to be this balanced, this helps me to segment what I’m making. Keep in mind, if the veggies are there people DO eat them. Promise. (just take a look at how delicious they look – that salad!!)

Back to the twice-baked potatoes. Growing up my mom would bake the potatoes first, scoop out the insides, mix everything together and then stuff the filling back into the potatoes and bake again. But one day I thought what if I boiled them (skin and all) and altered the ‘twice-baking’ part. I think the traditional way is MUCH prettier in presentation, however, I feel that this recipe is so much easier to make. I’ve ended up making this dish other times throughout the year and not just at Easter. They’re that good.

And for the skeptics out there and potatoes (I could write a whole blog about this) just know that ALL foods fit and potatoes are healthy. Keep in mind many times people associate potatoes with fries and chips and well, there are other ways to eat them. Bonus this recipe has cottage cheese (protein) and that actually balances blood sugar out better. Even more reason to add this dish to your Easter menu!

What’s on your Easter menu this year?

Twice-Baked Potatoes

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5 from 1 review

Print Recipe

Twice-Baked Potatoes without the hassle! Sign-me up. You even get to leave the skin on. Cottage cheese adds protein to this starchy vegetable & I call that a win win!

Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 large Idaho potatoes
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup reduced-sodium cottage cheese, 2%
1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 onion, diced
Paprika

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray.
Cut onions into slices and then dice into tiny pieces.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon oil, when the skillet is hot, add the diced onion.
Cook, stirring constantly, 5-8 minutes, until the onions turn soft and a pale golden color. If the onions brown too fast, turn down the heat.
Scrub the potatoes, dice them, and put in a pot with water to cover.
Boil the potatoes until tender, drain, and return them to the original pot.
Mash the potatoes with 1 Tablespoon of butter.
Add the cottage cheese, sautéed onion, and pepper to taste.
Stir the mixture in gently, and then put in prepared pan.
Dot with the remaining Tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Notes

*I didn’t weigh the potatoes – depending on the bag & size of the potatoes, I say 3 large, but it can be 6 small.

*Sometimes I add a little more cottage cheese – it just makes them creamier. I didn’t add salt as I find the cottage cheese provides enough.

*I sauté the onion ahead of time – this makes it softer in the potato mixture vs a crunch of raw onion (even though it cooks a bit). It adds more flavor!