Bacon Cheese Potato Bites

Preheat your oven to a high temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over an average heat setting. Cook and stir minced garlic in the hot skillet until it emits a pleasant aroma, approximately one minute.

Place potatoes into a microwave-safe container. Add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and mix well to coat them evenly. Microwave until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced easily with a fork, around six minutes. Allow them to cool down until they can be handled comfortably, roughly five minutes.

Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out their insides into a separate bowl; set the potato skins aside.

Mix minced garlic, grated Gouda cheese, onion powder, salt, and pepper together with the scooped-out potato flesh until well combined. Fill each potato skin with this mixture and then place a filled potato half on top of it, creating a seal. Wrap a slice of crispy bacon around each sealed potato and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven until the bacon is cooked and crispy, taking between 15 to 20 minutes.