FANcy Potatoes

I live in potato country.  I have a few hundred pounds of beautiful russet potatoes stored in my storage area.  One can never have too many good potato recipes!  Tonight we had FANcy Potatoes.  They are SO easy to make and serve.  We had these with Roast Chicken, corn frozen from last summers garden, and a nice, tossed green salad.  I used some smaller potatoes, a little smaller than my fist, and, since I have a teenage boy, I made a few extra. ;o)  I had one left to put in the fridge after dinner.

FANcy Potatoes

6 medium russet potatoes  

1 cube butter, melted

shredded cheese or cheese slices

bacon crumbles

sour cream

parsley, green onion, or chives

Scrub the potatoes.  Slice each potato about 2/3rds of the way through at 1/4 inch intervals.  It will fan out as it bakes, if you cut too far through, it will come apart as you work with it later. 

Place partially sliced potatoes in an ungreased shallow baking dish.  Bake at 375 for 1 - 1 1/4 hours.  Check to see if the potatoes are fairly tender... they should be fanned out now.

Remove potatoes from oven.  Drizzle melted butter over each potato so some butter slides into each slice.  Sprinkle salt over the top of the potatoes.  Push a little shredded cheese between each slice, you don't need too much.  If you prefer, use thinly sliced cheese and insert between slices.  Sprinkle bacon over the top.  Put back in oven long enough to start melting the cheese.  Remove from oven.  Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley, green onion, or chives to the top of each FANcy Potato.  Serve hot!

Joy's Notes:  You can use any size potato.  Bake smaller ones less time and larger ones longer.  I love the Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon.  I buy a bag at SAM's Club and keep in my freezer just for things like this.  You can fry your own bacon and crumble or any bacon bits will do though.