I love potato skins because they remind me of 1983. Or was that 1984? Or was that 1982? Or was that 1985? Or was that… stop, Ree! You're rambling again! Anyway, this potato appetizer isa nostalgic snack for me. And nostalgic snacks, I think I've established, are the very best kind of snacks. And they never, ever go out of style. (Unless you're talking about deviled ham balls.) These potato skins are in my first cookbookand I've made them forever. I made 'em a few weeks ago, then I made them again last night in anticipation of the Thunder game. They're the perfect game day foodand Super Bowl snack.
What do you eat with potato skins?
Consider potato skins a vehicle for every topping your heart desires. Anything you'd put on a regular ol' baked potato belongs here. Cheddar cheese, bacon (I like the thick-cut peppered kind), sour cream, and green onion.
What can you use the leftover potato for?
I like to smash up the innards with some softened butter, salt, and pepper, and save them for dinner. You could also use the potatoes totop a Shepherd's pieor makemashed potato pancakes.
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- Yields:
- 12 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 5 mins
- Cook Time:
- 45 mins
- Total Time:
- 50 mins
Ingredients
- 8
small russet potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
- 4 tbsp.
canola oil, divided
- 2 tbsp.
butter
Kosher salt,to taste
- 1 1/2 c.
grated cheddar cheese
- 8
slices thick-cut peppered bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1/2 c.
sour cream
- 2
green onions, sliced
Directions
- Step1Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Step2Scrub the potatoes clean and allow them to dry. Using a paper towel (or just your hands), rub the skin of the potatoes with 2 tablespoonscanola oil so that they're nice and moist.
- Step3Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until skin is crisp and potatoes are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan and allow to cool until you can handle the potatoes, about 10 minutes.
- Step4Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides, leaving a little bit of potato in the skins.
- Step5In a saucepan or microwave-proof bowl, melt the butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil.Brush the mixture on both the outside and the inside of the potatoes. Sprinkle the inside lightly with salt. Place potato halves face-down and return to the oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn the potatoes over and continue to bake until the edges of the potatoes start to turn golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Step6Remove from oven. Sprinkle the insides of the potato skins with cheddar, then sprinkle on the chopped bacon. Return to the oven long enough for the cheese to melt, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Step7Serve immediately with sour cream and green onion. Yum!
Tip:To make ahead, prepare the potatoes through step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, continue with step 5. Cook for an extra 5 to10 minutes total for the potatoes to warm through and get nice and crispy!
Start with a sacka potatoes. Russets will do just fine! It’s best if they’re on the smallish to mediumish side.
Thoroughly scrub the potatoes, then let them dry. Preheat the oven to approximately 401.3764293327266 degrees.
Okay, fine. 400 will do.
Use a paper towel or just your grubby (or, preferably, clean) hands to rub canola oil all over the skins until they’re nice and moist and wonderful.
Stick ’em on a baking sheet and bake ’em until the skins are crisp and the taters are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes or so.
While the taters are baking, grab some bacon. I like the thick cut, peppered kind, but you can use any ol’ bacon you have on hand.
I like to cut bacon slices in half before frying them…
Because they cook more evenly that way, and they also fit more neatly in the skillet.
Fry ’em till they’re just barely crisp but mostly chewy, then throw ’em on a cutting board.
Then chop ’em up pretty finely and set them aside for a bit.
While you’re at it, grate up some sharp cheddar. Or mild cheddar. Or medium mild sharp in-between ambiguous noncommittal cheddar.
Then slice/chop up some green onions.
Sorry to be so bossy today.
Okay, the potatoes are done by now! Let them cool just a bit, then slice ’em down the middle.
Then use a spoon or scoop to scoop out the insides.
Look. You can see me. Freaky!
Leave a little rim around the edges so the potato skins will have a little support and so the potato skins will also have some potato in them.
My logic is sound. My logic is very, very sound.
Just throw the innards into a bowl. Use it for whatever you’d like! I smashed mine up with softened butter, sprinkled in salt and pepper, and saved it for dinner.
But that’s just me.
Keep going till all the taters are scooped out!
Throw ’em back on the baking sheet…
Then melt together a little butter and canola oil.
Then grab a brush…
And brush the inside of the potatoes.
Next, flip ’em over and brush the skins.
Then throw ’em back into the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the skin starts to really crisp up.
Then flip the taters over and leave ’em in for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until they start to get nice and golden brown around the edges.
After you take ’em out, sprinkle cheese on the inside of the skins.
Then sprinkle on plenty of bacon!
Then stick the taters BACK into the oven just long enough to totally melt the cheese and sizzle the bacon.
Yum!
Add a little sour cream…
This is my nephew from Dallas. He and his brother are visiting the ranch for the next couple of weeks and he likes to photobomb my food.
His name is Stu. I call him Tooie. And I will still call him Tooie when he’s forty years old.
Okay, Tooie left the room for a few minutes. I’d better hurry!
Green onions come next! Yum, yum…and YUM.
We ate these over the course of the first half of the game and loved them lots and lots.
You’ll love them lots and lots, too!
