Potato Skins or Baked Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes
- olive oil
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1/2 pound bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- kosher salt optional
- chives optional
Instructions
Bake Potatoes:
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Wash and dry each potato. Using a fork, poke through the skin of each potato 8 to 10 times. Rub a light coat of olive oil, cooking oil, or shortening over each potato.
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Place potatoes on middle rack of oven. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch drippings. Bake for 1 hour.
Potato Skins:
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Cool potatoes on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes. Cut each potato in half. Scoop out some of the center, leaving about a ½ inch layer of potato.
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Use a pastry brush to brush the potatoes all over with melted butter. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and broil on high for about 4 to 6 minutes. The skins should turn golden brown.
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Divide the cheese and bacon crumbles evenly to the scooped side of the 12 potato skins. Broil again for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
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Serve hot with one or several dipping sauces.
Dipping sauce options:
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Sour cream and salsa: Mix 2/3 cup sour cream with ⅓ cup salsa. Chill 1 hour before serving.
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Sour cream and chives: Mix 1 cup sour cream with 1 tablespoon chives. Chill 1 hour before serving.
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Ranch dressing: Your favorite ranch dressing or our Homemade Ranch Dressing.
FOR THE NACHOS
- 1 tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. taco seasoning
- kosher salt
- 1 (15-oz.) can refried beans
- 1/4 c. water
- 1 large bag tortilla chips
- 2 c. shredded cheddar
- 2 c. Shredded Monterey jack
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained
- 1/2 c. pickled jalapeños
FOR TOPPING
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
- Sour cream, for drizzling
- Hot sauce, for drizzling
Directions
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- Step 1 Preheat oven to 425º and line a large baking sheet with foil. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 6 minutes more. Drain fat.
- Step 2 Add garlic and taco seasoning and season with salt. Cook until meat is well browned and slightly crispy, 5 minutes more. Add refried beans and water to skillet and stir until combined.
- Step 3 Add half the tortilla chips and top with beef-bean mixture, half the cheese, half the black beans, and half the pickled jalapeños. Repeat one more layer.
- Step 4 Bake until cheese is melty, 15 minutes.
- Step 5 Scatter with tomato, avocado, green onions, and cilantro. Drizzle with sour cream and hot sauce and serve immediately
How to Make Hot Wings
You’ll find the full step-by-step instructions below, but here’s what you can expect from this hot wings recipe:
1. Coat with flour: Coat the chicken wings with a mixture of flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt. Refrigerate coated wings for at least an hour.
2. Make the sauce: In a saucepan on the stove, combine butter, hot sauce, pepper, and garlic. Stir until butter is melted, then remove from heat and reserve for later.
3. Fry the wings: Fry the chicken wings in a skillet filled with oil heated to 375 degrees F. Remove the wings and place them on a paper-towel lined plate to remove the excess oil.
4. Coat the wings: Drizzle the hot wings sauce over the fried wings or place the hot wings in a bowl with the sauce and mix together until combined.
