Deluxe Twice Baked Potatoes with Shrimp

Back when I was pregnant, Paula Deen came out with The Deen Family Cookbook . She was actually in town for a book signing. So I dragged my pregnant self out to see her, stood in line for two hours, got to meet her (and Michael!), got my book signed, and my ankles didn't shrink back down for the next four months. But it was so worth it. Anyway, one of my favorite recipes out of that book is Michael's Deluxe Twice-Baked Potatoes with Shrimp.
I'll go on and be honest with you though. It's not going to win any top spots in a health magazine, that's for sure. This is totally a splurge. However, with a little tweaking? You could easily make this healthier. Use some light sour cream, cut back on the butter and bacon, and you've prevented your arteries from clogging for at least another day. :)
But really.
It's so easy, so filling, and so delish. Definitely worth the splurge.

Deluxe Twice Baked Potatoes with Shrimp
(recipe by Michael Groover)

via

Ingredients

• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) russet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked all over with a fork
• Vegetable oil, to coat potatoes
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed (I just used the frozen, cooked kind you buy at the store. Much cheaper and easier. Plus, if you're lucky, you can get a decent sized bag for around $5)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts; dark green parts chopped, for garnish
• 1 cup grated Cheddar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened (in usual Paula fashion, she tends to over-do it a tad on the butter. Feel free to cut back if you like...)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Rub the potatoes with vegetable oil and put them on a baking sheet. Bake the potatoes until tender, about 1 hour.
While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet.
Cut the shrimp into thirds. Reheat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, Cajun seasoning, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the shrimp are opaque, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes (since my shrimp were already cooked, I just tossed it for a few seconds... just enough to heat up and catch the flavor).
When the potatoes are done, let them cool slightly (leave the oven on). Slice off the top third of each potato and carefully scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Scoop out the potato from the top third, and add that to the bowl, then discard the skin. Leave about 1/4-inch border of potato inside the skin. Mash the potato flesh with 1 teaspoon salt, the green onion, cheese, butter, sour cream, mayonnaise, and black pepper. Stuff the potato skins with the filling, mounding any extra on top. Divide the shrimp on top of the potatoes and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon. Return the potatoes to the oven on the baking sheet and bake them until heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven, sprinkle with the reserved chopped green onions and serve.