Double Stuffed Mini Potatoes

Our annual family Christmas party means two things. One: people will be LOUD! I married into a family of talkers. Everyone together means everyone tries to talk over the other person and occasionally (always) it can get quite loud in the house. Two: there will be tables full of amazing food. We have a few standard favorites, but for the most part, we try different types of appetizers and desserts each year. Last year I did Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers and the Santa Hat Brownies. This year, I made S’mores Brownies, Avocado Fries and these Double Stuffed Mini Red Potatoes. They are a bit time-consuming to make, but I promise they are worth every cheesy bite!

DOUBLE STUFFED MINI POTATOES

Ingredients:
Approx 2 lbs small red potatoes
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 head roasted garlic, smashed to a paste
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp fresh dill
1/2 cup finely grated extra sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup finely grated Monterey Jack Cheese
1/4 cup, plus 2 TBLS Chives, diced

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 F.
Put potatoes in a large pot, cover completely with water and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil. Boil until fork tender (about 8-10 minutes). Drain potatoes and let cool. Cut each potato in half crosswise. You may need to cut a tiny sliver off the ends of each potato so they will stand up. Carefully use a small melon baller to scoop out the center of each potato. Be sure to leave about a 1/4-inch thick shell.
Place the scooped potato pulp in a bowl and add the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic paste, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and dill. Use a potato masher and smash together until well combined. Mix in the cheeses and 1/4 cup chives and set aside.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set potato shells on the sheet and sprinkle the inside of the shells with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Spoon the potato mixture evenly into the potato shells and bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with remaining Chives!

I made these vegetarian for our daughter. However, my husband says they would be even better with bacon! What couldn’t be made better with bacon? If you add bacon, you’ll need about 6 slices, cooked till crisp and crumbled. Add them into the potato mash when you add the cheeses and chives. You could even save an extra slice to use for garnish! Either way, these disappear quickly! Enjoy!!