Schlock Mercenary

Note: The "bacon-and-potato thingies" Schlock is speaking of go by numerous names, usually because restaurants want you to think they're a local original rather than something any yokel with leftover baked potatos can cook up. They go like this:

1. Cut a baked potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the starchy potato-y middle, leaving just the skin and a thin layer of potato-guts.
2. Butter it. ALL OVER. Scrimp on the butter and you're doing it wrong.
3. Grate some cheese into it.
4. Lay some cooked bacon on it. It can be crumbled, whole, or whatever. If it's still greasy, that's fine. It'll make up for the fact that I KNOW you didn't use enough butter.
5. Bake it in the oven until the potato is sizzling and crispy and the cheese is bubbling and melted.
6. Serve. It's like a greasy cross between a potato chip and a loaded baked potato.

Theoretically, the potato-guts you scraped out can be eaten separately. They can also be turned into mashed potatoes. You can add sour cream to them and blend them up and have something to dip the bacon-and-potato thingies in. You can throw them out. They're not nearly as tasty as the cardiologically hazardous mess you just pulled out of the oven (which, I might add, is going to taste even better if you add some butter to it).