Potato Skins

By Kelly Bogard

This Sunday officially marks the end of one of my favorite times of year. We aren’t changing seasons or the time on our clocks. No, it is the final football game of the 2015-2016 season. I like other sports, but none compare to the excitement and fellowship of football.

It really is a group sport. Chances are you are not going to sit down and watch a game solo unless your favorite team is playing and everyone else is at the game. No, you are going to invite them to your house and, of course, that means everyone will likely bring something to eat and share. This weekend while we are watching the pigskin get thrown around, we will also be enjoying some homemade potato skins.

For Potato Skins, you will need…
1 – 5-lb. bag small russet potatoes
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 tbsp. coarse salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
12 oz. bacon
12 oz. cheddar cheese
sour cream
green onion, chopped

These are great appetizers for feeding a crowd. Each batch makes about two dozen and they are pretty filling, too. Let’s get started.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and pat dry your potatoes and place them on a large baking sheet. Pour the oil onto the potatoes.

Rub the potatoes down with the oil and then sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for one hour.

While your potatoes are baking, go ahead and fry up your bacon. You want it crispy, but not burned. Set aside to cool.

Once your potatoes are baked and have cooled down a bit, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the inside of the potatoes. Set this aside for mashed potatoes or to add to potato soup later in the week.

Remove the excess oil and salt from the pan and place the hollowed halves skin side up. Bake for 10 minutes. This is when you want to melt your butter and grate the cheese.

Once the timer goes off, remove the skins from the oven and flip them skin-side down. Brush the inside of each potato with the melted butter and put them back into the oven for 10 more minutes.

This time when you pull the potatoes out, change the temp on your oven to high broil. Fill each skin with grated cheese and bacon.

Return to the oven for three to five minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Let cool for five minutes and then top with sour cream and green onion.

These Potato Skins can be served warm or cold and are great with sour cream and chopped green onion. They are sure to be a fave with your rowdy football fans. Enjoy the game (and commercials) this weekend and hopefully some really good food as well. From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!

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Recipe: Potato Skins

Summary: Crowd-pleasing snack

Ingredients

1 – 5-lb. bag small russet potatoes

1 – 5-lb. bag small russet potatoes
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 tbsp. coarse salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
12 oz. bacon
12 oz. cheddar cheese
sour cream
green onion, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Coat the washed potatoes with oil.
Sprinkle with salt.
Bake for one hour on a large baking sheet.
Fry bacon in small batches until crispy and set aside to cool.
Cut baked potatoes in half lengthwise.
Remove most of the inside of the potato and save for future use.
Bake potato shells skin-side up for 10 minutes.
Flip potatoes skin-side down and coat the inside with melted butter.
Bake for 10 more minutes.
Turn your oven to high broil.
While potatoes are still hot, fill the cavity with grated cheese and sprinkle with bacon.
Place under broiler for 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
Serve warm with sour cream and chopped green onions.