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Friday, January 8, 2010

Twice Baked Potatoes and a Challenge to You!

For some reason, I never eat twice baked potatoes. If they are on a menu, I never pick them. So when I saw this recipe for them in my new Taste of Home Best Holiday Recipes cookbook, I decided it is about time I try them. I mean what is not to love?


I remember a friend of mine always getting this as her side at The Brown Bottle. This restaurant is a FAVE of many in Iowa, and I can say I truly miss going there!

Here's the Taste of Home version:
4 baking potatoes
1/2 c. light sour cream
2 T. butter
1/8 t. each garlic powder/onion powder
1 c. cheddar cheese
1 c. mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. chopped green onions
salt, pepper to taste
*Note: I omitted the green onions and just doubled the cheddar cheese, as I didn't have any mozzarella on hand.

Rub washed potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees. When done, take out of oven and let cool. Meanwhile mix all other ingredients in bowl. Cut each potato in half and with a spoon scoop out the pulp. Mix the pulp with the other ingredients. Refill the potatoes with this mixture and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until heated through.


And now.....what you've been waiting for......My 5-Day Freezer Challenge!

I first saw this challenge on another food blog - Dinner at Christinas - and well, it only made sense! Dedicate 5 days to cleaning out your freezer. Now, that doesn't mean throwing 5 items away - USE THEM!

Here are the items I found in my freezer this morning:

  • A bag of fresh, frozen peaches
  • 1/2 bag of sliced almonds
  • 1 pkg. pork cutlets
  • 1/2 bag of fresh, frozen mushrooms
  • 1 large Ziploc bag of frozen homemade ravioli

I challenge you all to take part in this. Trust me, you will feel better once you have used your items and also when you can actually see the back of your freezer! So, stay tuned to see how I use these 5 items!

What's in your freezer?

Post a comment and tell me your 5 items and what you plan on doing with them!

Would you like to comment?

  1. Hey there! Thanks for your comment on my blog :-). As for where I got the larabars, they were actually sent to me from Larabar for free so I could review them. I have seen them at the local food coop in Ames and at some Targets though. I've also seen some recipes online for how to make your own! Here's one: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/08/homemade-cashew-cookie-larabars/
    I'm totally going to try that sometime :-).

    And I love your challenge! I'm in the dorms without a freezer though... so this isn't really an issue for me ;-).

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  2. Hmm...might have to try that recipe! Of course, didn't even think of looking at Target, I'll have to check there.

    Oh...the days of living in the dorms. I went to UNI and spent 2 years in the dorms. I think our freezer could only hold about 2 items!

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  3. Yum, my mom used to make twice baked potatoes all the time! I haven't had them since I was a kid...yours look great!

    Every couple of months, my husband and I do a "kitchen clean out" where we don't grocery shop for a couple of weeks, but instead use all the stuff we have in our freezer, pantry, fridge. I love the idea! Save money and try new things! Good luck with your freezer clean out. :-)

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  4. Katie, that is a great idea as well...I'm thinking my pantry could also use a clean out:)

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  5. Oh yay finally a fellow freezer challenger! hehe I might need to do that again after a lot of stuff making it into there from November and December!

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  6. Thanks to you Christina for the great idea! It's the little things in life that excite me...i.e. a clean freezer:)

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  7. Such a good idea! I actually just loaded up my freezer with fresh stuff yesterday but I will for sure try this when it's starting to age...

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  8. Just saw the Larabar comment - couldn't find them at Ankeny Target. I got some at Wal Mart in the pharmacy area, where the Slim Fast and power bars and those kinds of things are. I think Kristin (Iowa Girl Eats) gets hers at Hy Vee.

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  9. Hey Erin! Used up that $100 bucks yet:)

    Yes, I found Larabars at Hyvee as well, but will definitely check out Walmart!

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  10. Katie, that is a great idea as well...I'm thinking my pantry could also use a clean out:)

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  11. Yum, my mom used to make twice baked potatoes all the time! I haven't had them since I was a kid...yours look great!

    Every couple of months, my husband and I do a "kitchen clean out" where we don't grocery shop for a couple of weeks, but instead use all the stuff we have in our freezer, pantry, fridge. I love the idea! Save money and try new things! Good luck with your freezer clean out. :-)

    ReplyDelete