Sneaky Twice Baked Potatoes

Don't think for a minute that I have forgotten last year's summer love: Swiss Chard. I am still every bit as smitten. Swiss Chard is rarely the star of the show around here, I've got two kids who would rather eat a maple leaf than a lettuce leaf, I have to be crafty. I like to sneak it into most everything when I can, cut it up small, and call it basil. Works almost every time.

Here we have a Twice Baked Potato with Swiss Chard, Goat Cheese and Sausage.

4 Medium Baking Potatoes
2 Tablespoons Butter, more for the top
1 Cup Warm Milk
2 Ounces Goat Cheese
1/2 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage, Casings Removed
2 Cups Swiss Chard, chopped as fine as required to sneak it past your kids
Salt and Pepper to taste

Remove sausage casings and brown the sausage in a saute pan. Remove the center stem from the swiss chard, wash, spin, and chop. When the sausage is fully cooked, add the swiss chard and toss until just wilted. Set aside.

Wash, pierce and bake the potatoes at 350 degrees for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then cut in half in the long direction. Scoop out the insides leaving an intact skin. Don't be a baby, do it while they are still fairly hot because hot potatoes mash the best. Set the skins aside on a baking sheet for stuffing later. Transfer potato into bowl of stand mixer with the butter, beat on medium for about 30 seconds until most of the large lumps are broken up. With the mixer on low speed slowly add the milk. It is okay if they are a little looser than regular mashed potatoes, they dry out a bit when you bake them the second time. Mix in the goat cheese. Fold in the browned sausage and swiss chard mixture. Salt and pepper if needed.

Using a spoon, fill the potato skins to slightly heaping with the mashed potato mixture. Top each potato with a small bit of butter. At this point the potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

With a salad on the side, this is a perfectly satisfying supper.