If you’re looking for fun finger food, these twice-baked mini-potatoes are worth the effort. It takes a little time to assemble these potato poppers, but the good news is that they can be prepared well ahead of serving. Prep and refrigerate them in advance, then pop them into the oven before serving. They are a great crowd-pleasing appetizer for a fireside dinner or watching the big football game. You might make a double batch, because they are very easy to eat and guaranteed to be a hit.

These baby potatoes are stuffed with a cheddar and horseradish filling, which is perfect for relaxed and cozy nibbling. You can easily riff on the fillings to your preference. For instance, add crumbled crispy bacon to the filling or sprinkle it over the tops before serving. Or dress these poppers up and switch the cheddar cheese for more sour cream and top the potatoes with a sprinkle of salmon roe and snipped chives before serving.

Lynda Balslev is a Marin cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer. Learn more at TasteFoodBlog.com.