Last weekend, we helped my parents move furniture. Large furniture made of wood. Why? Because of the promise of Mom’s homemade chili with all the fixings: cheddar cheese, sour cream and – be still my heart – Fritos. She sent us home with a container of chili. I don’t know about you, but after two bowls of chili, I’m done with chili. So, we decided to use it up on Twice-Baked Potatoes with Chili and Cheese.

When I met Jeff, he was not a fan of the baked potato. Not until he tried my mom’s. Most artists work in oil or marble. She works in tater.

The secret to Mom’s twice-baked potatoes is that she rubs them with extra-virgin olive oil and pats on some Kosher salt before they go into the oven. The skin is so good, Jeff digs out the filling and eats the rest like a taco. No flavor wasted.

This is definitely a taste-as-you-go recipe, so just use these measurements as a jumping-off point. Sometimes I mix our potato fillings in separate bowls, so I can prep mine with Things Jeff Won’t Eat (i.e. mushrooms, spinach, red peppers, goat cheese). Customization is a beautiful thing. Join in!

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Chili and Cheese

• 4 baking potatoes
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
• 1 green onion, sliced (or 2 tablespoons chopped chives)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Chili

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes, rub them with olive oil, and pat on Kosher salt. Place potatoes on baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. Split potatoes, and scoop most of the flesh into a medium-sized bowl. Add butter, milk, sour cream and cheese. Mash with a potato masher or a fork. Fold in chives, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Scoop filling back into potatoes. Top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. In the meantime, warm the chili in a saucepan over medium heat.

5. Garnish potato with chili and cheese before serving.