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By Ellen Cawood

I had the best time last weekend. The weather was beautiful and I spent Saturday outside with my friends who just open a new kayaking and tubing business in Pineville.

It seems like anytime I get the chance to see people I haven’t in a while, this column gets mentioned in conversation. I love knowing that this column reaches so many of you and you enjoy reading these recipes. I also love getting recipes shared with me that I wouldn’t have thought of. That’s exactly what happened to me this week when John Day came to DJ for the opening of my friends’ new business. This week I give him all the credit, and assure you this is a dish you’re going to want to try over and over.

Ingredients

• 4 of your favorite type of baking potato
• milk
• butter
• cheddar cheese
• garlic powder
• chives
• bacon bits
• salt
• pepper
• sour cream
• vegetable oil

Instructions

1. First of all, you may see that this week’s ingredients don’t have exact measurements. That’s because you are going to measure with your heart to achieve your desired flavor combination.
2. Begin by scoring your potatoes with a fork and placing them in a microwave safe dish. Microwave until tender. Once the potatoes are soft, remove from microwave, cut in half and scoop the center out of the skins and place into a large bowl.
3. Heat your vegetable oil in a deep fryer or simply over the oven until it is 350 degrees. Drop the potato skins in the oil and cook until just golden. Salt the skins as soon as they come out of the oil.
4. Add the desired amount of milk and butter to the inside of the potatoes until you get a soft mashed potato like consistency. Add seasonings to taste and mix well.
5. Next, scoop the inside of the potato back into the deep fried shell. Add cheese on top and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted. Remove and garnish with chives, sour cream and bacon bits. Enjoy!