Scrub the outside of the
potatoes under running water. Don't use soap but make sure the potatoe
skins are clean so you can eat them later.
Poke
your fork into one side of each potato. This will allow the steam out
so the potato won't burst open in the microwave. Put the potatoes in
the microwave and cook on high for 15 minutes.
When
the potatoes are cooked have your aunt or whoever's helping you cut
them in half, the long way. Let them cool for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Using
the big spoon, scrape the middle out of each potato. You will be making
little dugout canoe shapes. Don't scrape too deep. You want to leave
enough potato so the skin will hold its shape. Put the potato insides
into the bowl.
Set the potato "canoes" off to the side.
Add the cheese, the milk, the sour cream, the butter and the onions to the potatoes.
Mash and mix all the ingredients together. Make sure all the milk gets mixed in well.
Spoon
the potato mixture back into the potato shells. Put them on a cookie
sheet. Sprinkle a little paprika on top of each potato for garnish.
Put the potatoes in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
While
the potatoes are baking, select a pickle that looks like a head, one
that will be the tail and two that will be legs for each turtle.
Cut
a little off the end of the head pickle and the two leg pickles. Cut
the leg pickles in half the long way so you wind up with 4 legs.
When the potatoes are done in the oven, put each on an individual plate and arrange the head, tail and legs around the potato.
