As I pondered what to make with my Buffalo Chicken Wings, the wheels of my brain started turning as I recalled the Appetizer menu of my favorite restaurants. What would I be ordering if I were at the restaurant? Mmmm...Potato Skins. All that bacon, cheese and sour cream, what the heck is not to like? Elise at Simply Recipes got this recipe perfectly right for restaurant-style potato skins. Served with some veggies and dip, they make you feel slightly less unhealthy and indulgent.
But really....go ahead and indulge.
Recipe from Elise @ Simply Recipes
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Serves 4 as supper, 6-8 as an appetizer
4 small to medium sized baking potatoes (bake 2 extras if you plan to make Crispy Potato Cakes or Baked Potato Soup)
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
6 strips of bacon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the potatoes and poke holes (to allow steam to escape). Place in the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft. To quicken this process, instead of baking, place all 4 potatoes (poked full of holes) into the microwave for about 12 minutes.
Once the potatoes come out of the oven or microwave, cut them in half and allow to cool for a few minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out most of the potato innards, leaving about 1/4 inch still in the skin. Save the insides of the potato for another use.
Brush the potato skins with oil, inside and out and place upside down (skin side out) into a roasting pan. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake for 10 minutes, then flip the skins and bake another 10 minutes.
While the potatoes are baking, cut raw bacon into small pieces, and fry on medium heat until crispy. Drain the bacon and set aside.
When potato skins are out of the oven, sprinkle with salt and pepper, grated cheese and top with bacon crumbles. Broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and delicious looking.
Serve the potato skins with a dollop of sour cream and chopped green onions.
Click here for printable version of Potato Skins
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THE RESULTS?
Wow. Absolutely delicious. You must make these. And while they do take a while to make if you are baking them in the oven, there is not much work to them. On a weeknight to shorten the process, you could have the skins pre-baked and scooped. When you get home you'd just have to roast the skins and top with bacon and cheese. Or try the microwave method. You won't be disappointed.