Ingredients

Baking potatoes
3 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper
Fresh chives (diced)
Bacon (cut into large chunks)
Shredded Cheese of your choice- 1-cup
Herbed Sour Cream, recipe follows**

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a wooden spoon as a cradle, place each potato in the spoon and make several parallel slits into each potato top making sure not to slice completely through.

Bacon added and ready to bake some more

Place 3 garlic slices between slits at the crown of each potato. Toss in a medium bowl with butter and olive oil.

Place on a baking sheet lined with tin foil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

When the potatoes begin to “fan out” it’s time to make the magic happen.  Carefully slip a hunk of bacon into each slit of the potato like so and continue to cook

Once the potatoes and bacon are fully cooked (use a knife poke test), coat the potatoes with heaping helping of shredded cheese. .

Bake until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and top with Herbed Sour Cream and chives.

Complete meal

Herbed Sour Cream:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste and refrigerate until use.