What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Next Step: Hungry Man Potato Skins! Shrug off that old myth about ditching potato skins because they’re high in carbohydrates and low in nutrition. My grandma used to say “if you’re gonna eat the skin, you may as well eat a handful of dirt!”. Thank goodness times have changed and we’ve learned that the skin of the potato is loaded with calcium, iron, and fiber. When baking instead of frying, the nutritional value gets kicked up a notch. Now that you’re on a roll, go ahead and add toppings like fresh broccoli, bacon, and cheese. Whaaat? Hear me out. By choosing small russet potatoes, the calories are drastically reduced. One piece of bacon is divided over four skins, just enough for flavor. And reduced-fat cheddar cheese is a good choice, one you’ll barely notice in taste. When it’s all said and done, two potato skins are about 200 calories. Not bad.
HUNGRY MAN POTATO SKINS
Ingredients:
2 small russet potatoes, washed and patted dry
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 strip thick bacon, precooked
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup panko crumbs
Ranch dressing, for dipping sauce
Green onion, for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Pierce each potato for steam to escape during baking. Lightly spray potatoes with nonstick oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Place them directly on the oven rack. Bake until tender, about one hour. Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Place broccoli florets into a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle with droplets of water, and microwave on High for one minute. Set aside. If you need to cook bacon, place one strip of bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Cover with another paper towel. Microwave on High for two minutes. Remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces. For potato skins, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh leaving a shell 1/4” thick. Reserve potato flesh for another use. Brush around the rim of potato shells with olive oil. Place skins upright on a baking sheet. Broil in oven on High for one minute. Remove to fill. In a bowl, combine broccoli florets, cheddar cheese, and bacon crumbles. Divide broccoli mixture evenly between potato shells. In a small pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add panko crumbs, stirring often until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle over loaded potato skins. Return to oven and bake at 400° until cheese is bubbly and topping is crisp, about 15 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing garnished with green onion snips.
Potato skins are the best bit of baked potatoes!
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I sooo agree, Sheree. 😋🍃
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Yum!
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Cheesy and good! 😍
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The florets were a great addition to this classic. I love florets, and this way . . I can say I had my greens!
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Absolutely! lol 🌿
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I love potato skins. A little black bean chili would be great on them.
Cheers,
Carolyn
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I like the way you think, Carolyn. 🍃🌶
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Yummi! Looks delicious and easy to prepare. Bookmarked 😉
Ella ♡ | Organicisbeautiful.com
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Be my guest. Thanks for stopping by. 😍
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Following your blog 😉
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Thanks very much. 🙏🏻
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Gail you are killing me! I am on the Atkins diet and I can have this – not, so I must move on now before I bite the computer …. LOL.
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Poor guy. I’m sorry. 👀🍃
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I love the skins of potatoes – they are the best part – as long as nicely scrubbed, that is. Because no one wants a mouthful of dirt! Ha! But we do want these skins! Yum, Gail!
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Yes, skins are amazing, especially with a sprinkling of sea salt. 😋
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[…] via Hungry Man Potato Skins — snapshotsincursive […]
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Make sure you share. lol 🤣
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This looks so yummy! Great post
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A delight for the taste buds. 😍
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