Easy Garlic Twice Baked Potatoes with Fresh Basil and Parsley

My first (published) success!

For the record, I am lazy and working on two papers, and I didn't want to go to the store. So I had to make dinner with what I had - and that is next to nothing. My mom recently came down to where I go to school to visit and bring me my birthday gifts :) and they so happened to be several fresh herbs for my patio. Luckily, I aso had some baking potatoes laying around and I could try this.

I have to admit that I also don't have any good cream laying around, so this recipe is made with milk. The twice baked potato part can be done by whatever recipe, it's the little extra touches that made a difference.

My mom taught me a way to cheat and make twice bake potatoes that saves time and heat, so you can follow this (because it's easy) or cook the potatoes how you normally do.
I suggest the garlic powder, because it's just enough kick to add the subtle flavor that you will be looking for.

Twice Baked Potato Ingredients:

• Medium-sized baking potato (duhh)
• Skim milk (or whatever you whip your potatoes with, this is all I had)
• Garlic (I used powder, but for a stronger kick you could use fresh or roasted garlic)
• Salt (could have used pepper, as well) to taste
• Cheddar cheese
• Fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley (only a couple of leaves per potato)

Poke the potato with fork several times and then microwave it for 6 minutes or until it is slightly softened
Cut off the top of the potato (like a potato skin) and let it cool
Scooped out the meat and place into a medium-sized bowl
Add milk at about 2 tbsp at a time and whip on low-medium speed until the potato is at desired consistency (I like mine really whipped :])
Either whip or mix in garlic, salt, and pepper
Tear (DON'T CUT) the leaves of the herbs in small pieces and mix into the whipped potato

Place a small pinch of cheese into the bottom of the skin shell (you can take the top of the potato that you cut off and make a potato skin if you'd like, I placed it on top of the pinch of cheese and then placed another pinch of cheese on top of that :])
Layer the whipped potato and the cheese, ending with a "happy" pinch of cheese on top

I cooked my potato in the toaster oven for about 15 minutes on 375° on top of foil

Garnish with fresh parsley

Voila! A beautiful and colorful potato that has a bite of garlic and a hint of fresh herbs :)

This potato was enough for dinner, so if you wanted to use something like this for a side dish, I also suggest smaller potatoes.

Enjoy!

-Katherine