Loaded potato skins with sour cream and onion dip

Rub four russet potatoes with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt, poke a few times with a sharp knife and bake at 400 for an hour.

Let cool so they can be handled, then cut in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving quite a bit on the sides and underneath; keep the scooped potato to freeze for soups and stews.

Drizzle olive oil inside the skins and season with salt and pepper; flip, massage and return to the 400 oven for about 10 minutes, until golden.

Start the bacon in a cold cast iron skillet to render out as much fat as possible and crisp it.

For the dip, stir together full-fat sour cream and mayo, dehydrated onion flakes, seasoned salt, coarse black pepper, about a teaspoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar, a dash of Worcestershire and optional hot sauce; stir in chopped chives.

Taste and adjust onion and salt, but let it sit 15 minutes first so the dehydrated onion plumps.

Grate the sharp cheddar; chop the crisp bacon and more chives.

Fill each skin with a little cheese, then bacon, then more cheese, then a little more bacon on top.

Return to a hot oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.

Sprinkle with plenty of chives or scallions while hot and serve on the baking sheet with the dip.

To make ahead: cool the built skins, cover and refrigerate, then reheat in a 375 oven until bubbly.