Baked Potato Skins

Baked Potato Skins
with a side spinach salad

Potato skins have long been one of my favorite go to comfort foods. While most people eat the inside of a baked potato first and then pick at the skin, I start with the outside and work my way in.  So when making my Baked Potato Soup a couple of weeks ago, I made it a point to scoop out the insides of the potatoes carefully and save the skins for another meal.  I placed the skins into a tightly sealed freezer bag and stored them in my top freezer for the last two weeks. I really wasn't sure that this recipe was going to work or how good they would turn out, but my family LOVED them and I think we will be doing this a lot in the future.  Granted we used a lot of cheese, and my son would have like me to add bacon (maybe next time) but overall it was a meal that tasted a lot more indulgent than it was.

The skins of the potato are the most nutrient dense part, containing the bulk of the fiber (about 2 grams per ounce), as well as significant amounts of B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium.  By baking them instead of deep frying them like most restaurants do and topping them with plain Greek yogurt instead of the usual sour cream, they are nutritious, high in protein and fiber and very satisfying as a meal's main dish.  So save those skins and whip up a game day delight that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!!

Baked Potato Skins

 

ingredients

Left over frozen potato skins (about 20)

2 – 4 T. organic canola oil

Garlic salt

Ground black pepper

1 1/2 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Plain Greek yogurt

Fresh or dried chives

Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub canola oil all over the potato skins, inside and out and season them with garlic salt and ground black pepper. Place them skin side up on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.  Flip them over and bake again until the top edges just start to brown, about 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.  Set the oven to broil. Evenly fill each potato skin with shredded cheddar cheese.  Place in the broiler and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2 – 4 minutes.  Remove from the broiler and top each potato skin with a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of chives.  Serve immediately.

ready to bake

ready for the broiler

ready to eat!!