Potato Skins

Ingredients

• 

  Pepper

  to taste
• 

  Butter

  optional
• 

  Bacon

  8 strips
• 

  Salt

  to taste
• 

  Green onions

  4
• 

  Olive oil

  2 tbsp
• 

  Russet potatoes

  4
• 

  Sour cream

  1 cup
• 

  Cheddar cheese

  shredded

  1.5 cups

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. 2

   Wash and dry the potatoes. Poke holes in the potatoes using a fork or knife. This helps release moisture as they cook.

3. 3

   Brush the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about an hour or until the potatoes are cooked through and the skins are crisp.

4. 4

   While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a skillet until it's crispy. Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to absorb excess grease, then crumble or chop it into small pieces.

5. 5

   Once the potatoes are done, let them cool a bit. Then, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the potato flesh from each half, leaving about a 1/4 inch of flesh inside the skin. If desired, save the scooped out potato for another use.

6. 6

   Turn the oven up to broil. Sprinkle the inside of each potato skin with shredded cheese and bacon bits. Place the potato skins back on the baking sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, about 3-5 minutes.

7. 7

   Serve the potato skins warm with sour cream and chopped green onions on top. You can also add a pat of butter inside each potato skin for added flavor if you like.