Baked potato skins

Classic appetizer of hollowed out potato filled with cheese, bacon, and sour cream.

This is a classic appetizer for serving your guests when watching football and other sports. There is plenty of time to plan and get this recipe together, especially since many ingredients are pantry staples.

They are quite simple to make and perfect for using up leftover baked potatoes from another dinner. However, that being said, when I plan to make these, I generally choose longer flatter Russet potatoes to bake, so they will be larger and have less potato to remove. But if you only have fat rounded potatoes, don’t worry, Just slice your baked potato lengthwise into three sections and discard the center. Extra potato can always be made into a small potato salad or used as part of hash browns at breakfast.

Baked potato skins

Serves 6

3 medium russet potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (you can adjust this if you like or add more salt later)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/4 cup sour cream
snipped fresh chives

1. Choose flat oblong russet potatoes for best results.

2. Scrub potatoes and wrap in foil; bake at 375 degrees F., for 75-90 minutes or until tender when pierced with fork. Refrigerate until chilled.

3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; use a knife to score the potato inside the cut half and scoop out extra potato (this makes it easier to scoop out without cracking them) and set extra potato aside.

4. Mix melted butter with paprika, garlic, and salt.

5. Place potatoes skin sides up on a baking sheet or toaster oven tray and brush with the melted butter.

6. Bake until potatoes are hot and the skin begins to crisp.

7. Flip potatoes over and brush the potato sides and bake those until golden.

8. Sprinkle cheese into the potato cavities and top with bacon crumbles. Bake those until the cheese melts.

9. Dot skins with sour cream, snipped chives and additional salt if you like. Some people like more, some less – you choose.

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