enough medium-sized organic Russet potatoes (washed and scrubbed) to fit into a 9x12-inch baking dish
1 stick of butter, cold but not frozen (salted is fine)
garlic powder
salt and pepper
about 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped for garnish (or use chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley)
a few slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
sour cream, for serving
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: wooden spoon; 9x12-inch baking dish
Instructions
First step, assemble your baking dish and determine how many potatoes you can fit fairly snugly (though, once accordioned -- that is a verb --and buttered, they will widen a bit). The trick is to accordion your potatoes without slicing all the way through the potato. By placing a potato on the bowl of the wooden spoon to slice, the slightly upturned edges of the spoon bowl help cue you to stop slicing before you have gone too far. While you are slicing your potatoes in this fashion, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and cook your bacon.
When potatoes are accordioned, slices thin pieces of the cold butter and slip a couple into each potato in between your careful slicing. You don't need to fill up each slice with butter; it will melt. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on some garlic powder.
IF YOU WANT SOFTER POTATOES: Wrap baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Pull off foil, baste with melted butter in dish, then bake for 20 minutes more.
IF YOU WANT MORE CRISPY POTATOES: Place baking dish in oven for 1 hour, uncovered. You can baste at least once, but not necessary.
Remove baking dish, sprinkle potatoes with cheese, and return to oven for about 5 more minutes to melt cheese.
Assemble your toppings, sprinkle potatoes with crumbled bacon and greens.
Notes
I have not included how many potatoes you need exactly, but provided the size of baking dish I normally use. Everything is very adjustable in this recipe.
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/vegetable-recipes/accordion-potatoes-recipe/