Bears Packers Potato Skins Recipe

Bears Packers Potato Skins Recipestime

If my husband’s position on his favorite chair in front of the TV is any indication, there are plenty of NFL games on today. Whether you’re watching the Bears Packers game, Jets Steelers game, or any other NFL games, you’ll need a snack – preferably one that has a better nutritional profile than Doritos. Potato skins are always a hands-down winner, even among those who aren’t glued to NFL game times. Potato skins are equally suited to an evening on the couch in front of a movie.

This may seem like an obvious recipe, but cheesy potato skins are a quintessential finger food that you never think to make at home. The spice mixture adds a lot of flavor, and Canadian (back) bacon is much leaner than the breakfast variety – although you could use either. I always use intensely flavored cheeses, like old cheddar, instead of the low fat kind, which tend to be rubbery with very little flavor, so you need more of it anyway.

Potato Skins

4 medium baking potatoes (russets work well and have sturdy skins)
1-2 Tbsp. olive or canola oil
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. each chili powder and curry powder (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Canadian (back) bacon, regular bacon, or turkey pepperoni
2 green onions or a small bunch of chives, chopped
3/4 cup shredded old cheddar cheese
Salsa and low fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 400F. Poke the potatoes with a fork and bake them (directly on the oven rack) for about an hour, until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Cut each potato in quarters lengthwise and scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/4” thick shell. (Keep the potato for something else – I fry it up in a little oil the next morning with whatever’s left of the spice mixture for amazing home fries!). Place potato skins on a baking sheet and brush with a bit of oil. Combine the salt, pepper, chili and curry powder and sprinkle over top. Bake for another 10 minutes, until crispy.

Sprinkle with bacon, green onions and cheese, and bake for another 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve with salsa and low fat sour cream. Serves 4.