You can blame the Super Bowl for this recipe.
I’m not as into football as you might have thought, but I love the food traditionally served at Super Bowl parties. I used Super Bowl Sunday as an excuse to make potato skins.
If we are being honest with each other (and why wouldn’t we be?), potato skins are high on my list of favorite foods along with things like mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings. Yes, this food blogger’s idea of heaven is essentially the menu at Applebee’s™®©. Wanna make something of it? If only I cared more about sports, I might find myself eating this food more often.
But I don’t, and I can’t eat like this very often, so I save these for the big game (read: MIA and Nicki Minaj being broadcast live to millions!). I had never made potato skins at home and I winged it. The results are worth replicating. We ate a giant platter of them with a big salad for lunch. Balance, yo.
I suspect that most potato skins we love at our local sports bars are deep fried. I wasn’t going to do that, so these are baked and as a result a tiny bit less crisp, but just as delicious. Sour cream is one of the few dairy products that is almost as tasty in its low-fat version, so by all means buy low-fat sour cream for this. In fact, I would even say I prefer the low-fat version here—they don’t need any more fat.
Potato Skins
- 4 large baking potatoes
- vegetable oil
- 6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and diced
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups grated monterey jack or other mild melting cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- sour cream and chopped scallions, for serving
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Wash the potatoes and thoroughly dry them with a kitchen towel. Rub the potatoes with vegetable oil and place on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. You can flip them over halfway through baking to even out the cooking.
Leave the oven on, and set aside potatoes until they are cool enough to handle. Carefully cut each potato into quarters, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out all but 1/2-inch of potato from each wedge. Place potato skins on sheet, spacing about 1-inch apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return them to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, to crisp them up.
Meanwhile, combine the shredded cheeses, bacon bits and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
Remove the skins from the oven and top each one with a mound of the cheese mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
Serve hot from the oven topped with sour cream and green onions.
Touchdown!
Colleen @ Culinary Colleen says:
March 8th, 2012 at 10:56 am
I love using football as an excuse to make those not-so-good-for-you foods (really, that’s the only reason I like football). I’m going to add these to the list for next football season. Maybe I’ll even use greek yogurt instead of sour cream, to make myself feel just a little bit better…
Michelle says:
March 8th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Now there is a savory snack I can get down with. Potato skins and long winter months go hand and hand.
Sammy says:
March 8th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
What do you do with the potato you scraped out? Seems like a waste to just throw it away!
Tim says:
March 8th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Sammy- you do whatever you want with it! eat it!
Kim says:
March 8th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Could really use a few of these today…..and a bourbon cocktail….Thanks!
Miss Migas says:
March 8th, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Delicious! My mom would love them!
lechow says:
March 8th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Hilarious and delicious. As a potato lover from way back I can get behind these for sure. I am thankful for not being a sports fan, unless you count Project Runway. But then of course, I wouldn’t be eating these during…;) Ha!
Also, these kind of remind of those “smashed potatoes” recipes that are going around that look awesome. Steam fry a mess of fingerlings and then smash them-but keep them intact- and fry in hot olive oil until crispy outside and soft inside. Top with whatever and run under the broiler….
lechow says:
March 8th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
P.S. your scallion sauce would be excellent drizzled over these too dontcha think?
Kirsten@ My Kitchen in the Rockies says:
March 8th, 2012 at 8:40 pm
I will definitely try this recipe. Sounds pretty straight forward. I have never made my own potato skins, but we used to enjoy them at a restaurant we used to visit.
Adam says:
March 8th, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Brush a little butter on both sides of the skins before you crisp them up and they will really be top notch.
Kristen says:
March 9th, 2012 at 3:03 am
Wow these look fantastic! Who says sports and deliciousness go hand in hand anyways? I’m making these babies as soon as possible
Louise says:
March 9th, 2012 at 10:33 am
It’s a good thing you don’t care more about sports. The bathroom scale would be creeping up non-stop. ;)
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says:
March 9th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
I used to be addicted to potato skins. It was the first time I tried them with sour cream & chives that I got hooked! Still adore them xx
L says:
March 9th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
‘We ate a giant platter of them with a big salad for lunch. Balance, yo.’
Oh, you mean like how I order a side salad with my massive basket of Irish nachos from McGee’s…? Indeed, cheers to balance :-)
Looking forward to making these for March Madness…
Sandra says:
March 9th, 2012 at 10:29 pm
love this! when I was a vegetarian potato skins were my go to food when eating out with family at any chain restaurant. I never said I was a health conscious vegetarian.
Sarah@Winner Celebration Party says:
March 11th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
I’ve had this recipe open in my browser since you posted it. Every time I look at it, it makes my stomach grumble. Really. I must make these ASAP before I drive myself crazy! Cheese + sour cream + potato = perfect trifecta.
Maria @ Orchard Bloom says:
March 12th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
YUm. They look so cute too.
Whitney says:
March 14th, 2012 at 11:28 am
YUM! So excited to make these!!
Adam Levy says:
March 17th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
I don’t think you ever need an excuse to cook something like this… I love potato skins with some balsamic onions in.
I saw someone asking what to do with the potato that you scoop out. Make mash with it, i find that scooping out a jacket potato makes the best mash anyway and saves wasting it all.
Sasha says:
March 20th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
I love this post! I, too, believe in using Superbowl Sunday as an excuse to make this type of food. Blue cheese dressing anyone?
Paola says:
March 21st, 2012 at 7:15 am
Great recipe. I love this post, this blog…
Remy says:
April 28th, 2012 at 10:49 am
I love everything about this! Balance, yo!