Question about twice-baked potatoes

[foodfiend]

My Mom loves these, so they are on the menu for her birthday dinner on Thursday. Problem is, we won't be arriving at their house until later in the afternoon so I would like to make the potatoes a day ahead of time. Is that possible, or would they taste "reheated"? And if I can do this, should I save the "second" baking for just before dinner?

[Cubangirl]

I make CI's version of twice baked potatoes and freeze them. They are just as good the next time. I am sure you have a great recipe, but including mine for reference.

EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH BACON, GOUDA, CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND SCALLIONS*****

To vary the flavor a bit, try substituting other types of cheese, such as Gruyère, cheddar, Fontina, or feta, for the cheddar. Yukon gold potatoes, though slightly more moist than our ideal, gave our twice-baked potatoes a buttery flavor and mouth feel that everyone liked, so we recommend them as a substitution for the russets.

Oven Temperature: 400°F Servings: 8

Prep.: 20 min. Cooking: 1 hour and 25 min. Total: 1 hour and 45 minutes

4 russet potatoes (7 to 8 ounces each), scrubbed, dried, and rubbed lightly with vegetable oil and poked several times with a fork
4 slices bacon minced (about 4 oz.)
1 medium onion , minced
1 TBS. brown sugar
6 oz. gouda cheese , shredded (about 1 ½ cup)
1 cup sour cream
4 TBS. unsalted butter (½ stick) ,softened
1 TBS. grapeseed oil
2 medium scallions , white and green parts sliced thin (about ½ cup)
1 tsp. kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Place potatoes in shallow microwave-safe baking dish. Microwave on high, turning potatoes every 3 minutes, until skewer can be inserted into and removed from potatoes with little resistance, 9 to 12 minutes. Remove baking dish from microwave; cool potatoes 10 minutes before using.

Or adjust one oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 400° F.

Place potatoes directly on the rack flipping them over halfway through the baking process, baking them until skin is crisp and deep brown and skewer easily pierces flesh, about 1 hour. Transfer potatoes to wire rack and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile fry the bacon in a small nonstick skillet over medium -high heat until crisp about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the onions and the sugar to the skillet and cook until they are very soft and deeply browned about 20 minutes.

Following illustration below and using an oven mitt or folded kitchen towel to handle hot potatoes, cut each potato in half so that blunt sides will rest on work surface. Using a small dinner spoon, scoop flesh from each half into medium bowl, leaving a ¼ to ½ inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Transfer the potato shells to a large baking dish.

Mash the potato flesh with fork or rubber spatula until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, sour cream, butter and sautéed onions and season with salt and pepper to taste, until well combined.

Spoon mixture into the potato shells, mounding slightly at the center. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese and the crisp bacon. Brush potato skins lightly with grapeseed oil.

To Store: Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. (After the potatoes are completely frozen, about 4 hours, they can be transferred to a Ziploc bag to save space in the freezer.)

To serve: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 500°F. Set a wire rack over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Lay the refrigerated or frozen potatoes on the rack and bake until the shells are crisp and the filling is heated throught 15-25 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallion before serving.

If serving right after making reduce the baking time to about 10 minutes.

Recipe Type: ALINA'S ADAPTATION, Bacon, Cooks Illustrated, Gouda Cheese, Onions, Potatoes, Side Dish, The Best Make Ahead Recipe

Source: The Best Make Ahead Recipe page 62
Web Page: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/...docid=5171

[foodfiend]

Thank you! For both the info and the recipe-- I don't really have one (was going to "wing it") but since it is for a special occasion...

[DFen911]

Gosh when I make them I make several so I can freeze a few. They freeze wonderfully so you might want to make a few extra to leave with them to enjoy at a later time

[Gourmet_Mom]

I Agee! I always make them head and freeze!

[labradors]

Those sound fantastic, Cubana. Going to have to try them.

Vicci, tell your mom "Happy birthday" from all of the gang!

[Cubangirl]

It is wonderful to have these in the freezer, and they freeze with no hassle.

One thing I learned doing this recipe that I do now always is to pay attention to how I cut the potato. I used the put mine so the flat side was on the counter and sliced vertically. Now I do it the way CI suggests and even regular baked potatoes work out much better. I stand them and cut them so the flatter portion faces the sides and cut through the center. I then have two beautiful halves that are flat bottomed and easier to eat or scoop.

[labradors]

Hmmmm... Never really thought about it - just have always cut them that way.

This is also one of those dishes that could be used as an answer when people ask if cheese can be frozen. Of course it can!

[cjs]

That's how I always cut them. I make them quite often using 2 large potatoes, bake, combine with filling, refrigerate and bake 2 halves later that day and the other 2 the next night and that's always worked for me, also.

[foodfiend]

Until my gluten sensitivity was diagnosed I rarely used white potatoes, but now they're showing up much more often in my meals!

I've seen twice-baked potatoes frozen in the store, but didn't know how they'd be after thawing and reheating (sometimes dishes containing potato can be watery when frozen and thawed, but mashing the potatoes and adding other ingredients must stabilize them). And, as suggested, I'm going to make extra to have on hand.
THANKS!!!