Perfect Potato Skins

I'm sharing another one of my favorite appetizers that are PERFECT to bring to a Superbowl Party!
Even if you aren't going to a Superbowl party, you will still want this recipe.

I don't just make them for Game Days, I brought them for an appetizer when we had a family dinner last week. They were gobbled right up!

Here is what you need for Perfect Potato Skins:

• 5 lb bag of russet potatoes scrubbed and dried (and cut length wise)
• 1/4 stick butter, melted
•  Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 cups Shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
• Hormel Real Bacon Pieces
• Sour cream
• Chopped green onions

 Wash your potatoes & scrub off any dirt (I use the potatoes that are in the 5lb bags because they are smaller and perfect for potato skins!)

Pierce each potato several times with a fork or sharp knife. 

Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake at 400 degrees until the skins are crisp and a knife easily pierces the potatoes, about 50 minutes. 

Transfer to a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. 

When the potatoes are cooled, slice each potato in half lengthwise. 

(If you don't wait until the potatoes are cooled, then the skin might break when you scoop out the insides)

Using a spoon, scoop out some of the flesh...I like thicker potato skins, so I don't scoop it all out.

(Reserve the flesh for another use, I usually save it for Twice Baked Potatoes or Potato Soup)

 Place potatoes on a cookie sheet. I use baking paper (so that my clean up is easier!)

Brush the insides of the potatoes with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Flip the potatoes over, brush the skin sides with butter, and season with salt and pepper. 

Evenly space the potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet and broil until the butter foams and the skins start to crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes (keep a close watch so they don’t burn). 

Flip the potato halves over and broil until the top edges just start to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Fill each skin with cheese....

Then add the Bacon. I use this bacon by Hormel. It is precooked and already crumbled. EASY!

 

 Yum...bacon.

Place in the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 to 5 minutes. 

While your potatoes are broiling, chop up your green onions:

Remove from the broiler and when you are ready to serve, top each with 1 teaspoon of the sour cream and a sprinkling of the green onions.

If you are bringing these to a party or serving them at your house, I would not garnish them with the sour cream & green onions until RIGHT when you are ready to serve them.

I have brought them to someone else's house and then I warmed them in the oven for a few minutes and THEN added the garnishes.

Or you can have the garnishes on the side and have people add their own garnishes.

***Other garnished you can add are jalepenos or chili, it's totally up to you!****

These really are the Perfect Potato Skin. So delicious!

 Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post was written as part of my participation in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. While Hormel Foods provides me material and necessary resources to complete various activities, the thoughts and statements in this post are my own.

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A few fun reminders!

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Head on over to Sheaffer's blog and enter the giveaway I am hosting.
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Enter HERE!

Speaking of giveaways..
I am having a HUGE giveaway on Monday morning that you won't want to miss!!
It involves one of my favorite places to shop...also known as my Happy Place!
Any guesses?!?  ;)

And, thanks for all your sweet comments about Kate's 7th Birthday Party! The invite is NOW available in my Etsy Shop!

Happy Wednesday!