Stuffed Baked Potatoes -OR- The Best Mashed Potatoes Ever!

Stuffed Baked Potatoes
5 medium baking potatoes (I think I usually use 8)
¼ c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
¾ c. sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 T. snipped chives
1 garlic clove, minced
crumbled cooked bacon (or bacon bits)
chopped green onions (optional)
Bake potatoes at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. Reduce heat to 375. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out the pulp, leaving a thin shell. In large mixing bowl, beat the pulp with butter. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, sour cream, salad dressing mix, chives & garlic. Spoon into potato shells. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
Place on baking sheet, Bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Top with bacon & green onions.

That’s the recipe as it appears on the cut out card I have from a Taste of Home magazine.
But, I NEVER can get the pulp scooped out of the shell right. It always looks a mess.
So I just skip all of that & make these into a casserole dish. I bake the potatoes & let them cool a bit so I can handle them. Then I cut or peel the skin off & throw the skins away.
Once I’ve made the mashed potatoes, instead of trying to put them back in the shells, I put it all into an 8x8 or 9x9 dish. I top it with cheese & bake for 15-20 minutes. If I have them, I add bacon & green onions to the top after removing from the oven.
My pictures didn't turn out so great, but here's the dish:

And here's a close up once we had dipped into it, so you can see all the speckly stuff.

YUM-O!