Ingredients:

• 6 large Russet baking potatoes
• 16 oz. French onion dip (I prefer Dean's)
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 12 oz. lean bacon
• 1 bundle green onions
• 12 oz. package of your favorite shredded cheese

Equipment needed:

• tablespoon
• mixer
• cutting board
• large serrated bread knife
• chef's knife
• extra large mixing bowl

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash, dry, and then bake potatoes between 75 and 90 minutes. Potatoes should be very soft internally, with crackling skins, when done.

During baking, fry bacon very well done (over medium high heat and without burning) and try not to eat more than 2 or 3 pieces. Let bacon cool, then mince into bacon bits.

Scrape or flip cutting board. Separate dark green leafy part of green onion from white "onion" part before cutting, then cut green onions into thin pieces. Put the two parts into separate bowls then refrigerate until needed.

When potatoes are done, immediately remove from oven and cut across 1/5 to 1/4 of top of potato (when held on thin side) using bread knife. Using tablespoon, scrape entire contents from potato tops and bottoms into bowl.  You can discard the tops, or fry them in the remaining bacon grease after baked potatoes are completed. 

Using mixer, make sure that all potato is well broken down and without large clumps. Add 2/3 of bacon bits, half of cheese, onion part of green onion, and half of both the sour cream and the dip. Mix very well -- then taste. Add more dip and/or sour cream if necessary, to your own taste.

Using tablespoon, scoop mixture back into potato skin bottoms. You will have an abundance of mixture, so top the potatoes high and round off. Each potato should be stuffed to the rafters when you are done. Then, pinch and press first cheese, then leafy part of green onions and remaining bacon bits onto top of potatoes. 

Place in refrigerator to cool and set up for about half an hour, then enjoy! 

These potatoes will reheat in about 3 minutes on medium power in your microwave, though due to varying wattages, your mileage may vary. They will stay fine in the refrigerator for up to a week, uncovered.

~John Price

P. S. Don't forget to scrape the bowl with a spoon!