Ingredients:
4 each Idaho/Russet potato
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup half and half
2 T butter, softened
6 strips bacon, cooked, crumbled
¼ cup scallions, chopped
1 cup green peas
1 T lemon zest
as needed salt, pepper
cooking oil (olive, canola, macadamia, etc.)
Triple Crème Cheese
Directions:
For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400F. Scrub potatoes clean under cold running water. Poke each potato in several spots with a fork. Rub potatoes all over with cooking oil. Place on a baking sheet with a rack in the middle or top of the oven and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle of the potatoes is easily inserted and removed. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350F. (Side: a great trick is to cook the potatoes in the microwave (10 minutes for 2, 15 for 4) and then finish in the oven to ensure crispy potato skin)
While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a sautee pan over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until crisp. Remove and allow to drain on paper towels. Allow to cool and then roughly chop.
Cut the top 1/3rd off each potato lengthwise and scoop out the insides, creating a “canoe” ensuring to leave roughly a ¼” of potato attached to the skins.
Place the scooped out potato, sour cream, ½ and ½ and butter in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Refill the potatoes with the fully incorporated filling and return to oven on baking sheet with rack for 15-20 minutes.
Top the freshly baked potatoes with long slices of the triple crème cheese and allow to melt.