Heavenly Potatoes

9 or 10 medium to large new potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 garlic clove, pressed
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse and dry the potatoes, then place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and massage to coat. And don’t get too attached—you know how this will end. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Set aside for 15 minutes. Place the sour cream, cream cheese, Monterey Jack, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.With a spoon or melon baller, scoop out inside of the potatoes, leaving a very thin rim of potato inside the skin. Add the potato pulp to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients. Using a potato masher or fork, gently mash the ingredients together until fluffy and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning be sure to salt it adequately. Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells. I use a small cookie dough scoop to fill the potatoes. Now, what I do at this point (unless it’s dinnertime already) is flash freeze the potatoes: I stick the pan in the freezer, uncovered, and allow them to harden on the outside for about twenty minutes or so. Then I simply throw them into a couple of large Ziploc bags, seal them tightly, and freeze them until I need them. When you’re ready, bake the potatoes in a 375 degree oven until thoroughly warmed through. The potatoes will soften, “melt”, and fill the potato shells as they bake. Mmmmm.
Thanks PW!