Twice Baked Ranch Potatoes

Nothing makes me want to crank the oven up more than our first snow! We started getting white flakes Halloween night – thankfully it didn’t really get going until later that night so we were safe to go out without our costumes being covered with winter jackets and boots. No princess should be made to wear black heavy boots! The next morning though we were officially covered in a thick blanket of white. Which our new retriever puppy, Mavis just loves. This will be my 35th Northern winter season and I dislike it with all my heart. I’ve sent out a friendly reminder to my husband letting him know his precious garage will be housing my vehicle for the next six months. Six months! It makes me sad to think I won’t be seeing green grass for that long.

There are perks to the cooler seasons though. I thoroughly enjoy being able to take my sweet time getting home with a back hatch full of groceries. There is no danger of ice cream melting in this weather. So yes, I certainly will go grab that drive-thru coffee! Another perk is finally using the oven. There’s nothing worse than heating your house in the already hot summer so all my favourites are starting to make their returns. We haven’t had a twice baked potato in so long so it was the perfect time to whip some up. I usually cheat and microwave them the first time around just to save some time. Most new microwaves actually have a preset potato function. I must be in good company!

These twice baked ranch potatoes are great if you’re having company over since most of the work can be done ahead of time. I like to use a large star piping tip to pipe the filling in but a spoon works just fine too. I’ve added my share of sour cream over the years but nothing compares to this combination of Litehouse ranch, chives and sharp cheddar. My husband and I were so impressed and my Son was eating them with his hands, he couldn’t get them in fast enough! You know it’s an absolute winner when the kids approve!