(MOIST) Buffalo Twice Baked Potato and Simple Chuck Steaks

I have a confession. I usually don't like twice baked potatoes or potato skins. But I want to! They totally seem like something I would love. They're a tempting item on the menu, usually a part of some sort of combination platter with chicken wings and cheese sticks. They always look good...but after one bite...eh, not so much. Most of the time I find twice baked potatoes or potato skins, dry, bland and resembling a greasy, leathery shoe soul. Mmmm. The potato part is often tough and they would better be named "over baked potatoes". They're tolerable if you drown them in ranch (ah ranch, the condiment that hides terrible tasting food), but I don't want to eat ranch, I want to eat delicious potato skins!

I highlighted the word 'moist" in this title because this was my goal in making these twice baked potatoes/potato skins (I know they're technically different, but you get the idea right?) And I succeeded! It's all thanks to that wonderful little ingredient- mayonnaise!

We enjoyed these potatoes with some little chuck steaks. Chuck steaks are my secret, inexpensive I-want-steak-but-don't-feel-like-dishing-out-money-for-a-ribeye meal. They're moist, tender, and have a good meaty flavor. 

Here's the recipe.

Buffalo Twice Baked Potatoes (Serves 4, or 2 if your dinning with Zach)

2 Russet Potatoes
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated shard Cheddar + more for sprinkling on top
1/4 cup green onion
1 T. Buffalo sauce (Or more...if you dare) I like Sweet Baby Rays, but what ever is your favorite.
Salt and Pepper
Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry your potatoes.

Poke the skins with a fork so they don't explode in the oven. Set the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Remove from oven with tongs and let your potatoes cool so you don't burn your fingers like I did. Don't turn off the oven.

Slice potatoes in half length wise and scoop out most of the potato innards, leaving enough of the potato still stuck to the skin so it keeps it's shape.

Add the potato innards to the mayo, cream cheese, sour cream, Cheddar, green onions and Buffalo sauce.

Smash it with a fork till it looks like this, then spoon it back into the potato skins.

They should be heaping! Sprinkle the tops with more cheese and the bread crumbs. You might need to use a little aluminum foil to help the potato halves stand upright in the oven.

Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts on top and the bread crumbs brown a little. Serve with steak.

The Steaks
Chuck steaks
butter
olive oil
seasoning (your favorite blend or garlic salt and pepper)

Add butter and olive oil to a pan on med-high heat. The butter is for browning and the oil is so the steaks don't burn. Let the butter melt, this is your indication that the pan should be ready for steaks.

Add the steaks, season with garlic salt and pepper. Let cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and season and let cook 2-3 minutes. (3 minutes per side is medium-ish, so adjust according to your done-ness preferences.) My English degree hard at work here.

Printables below.

     
















Buffalo Twice Baked Potatoes

2 Russet Potatoes
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated shard Cheddar + more for sprinkling on top
1/4 cup green onion
1 T. Buffalo sauce (Or more...if you dare) I like Sweet Baby Rays, but what ever is your favorite.
Salt and Pepper
Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry your potatoes. Poke the skins with a fork. Set the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Remove from oven with tongs and let your potatoes cool. Don't turn off the oven. Slice potatoes in half length wise and scoop out most of the potato innards, leaving enough of the potato still stuck to the skin so it keeps it's shape. Add the potato innards to the mayo, cream cheese, sour cream, Cheddar, green onions and Buffalo sauce. Smash it with a fork till well incorporated then spoon it back into the potato skins. They should be heaping! Sprinkle the tops with more cheese and the bread crumbs. You might need to use a little aluminum foil to help the potato halves stand upright in the oven. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts on top and the bread crumbs brown a little. Serve with steak.