Stuffed Potato Skins

The weather in Kingston this past week has been UNBELIEVABLY cold! Like, -36 C degrees cold. I have not been able to feel totally warm for about 4 days now, I'm in a constant state of chilliness. It's only JUST starting to warm up (and that's relatively speaking. It's still -15 C).

I am just dreaming of warmer days and hoping for Spring/Summer to get here soon!

When I found the recipe for these potato skins, I was pretty pumped. I hadn't been able to find a really decent potato skins recipe anywhere, but this one looked like a good contender. When I actually made them, I realized they weren't like normal potato skins.

Instead, they're more like stuffed potato skins. Instead of baking some cheese and onions and bacon right on top of the skins, you scoop out the potato and mix it with all the ingredients, then put the filling back into the potato skin.

Hence: Stuffed Potato Skins.

They were a little messy to eat, but SUPER filling and SUPER delicious! I don't think I'll ever go back to making "normal" potato skins again! I hope you enjoy this recipe, and have a happy weekend :)

Stuffed Potato Skins
Prep Time: 50mins    Cook Time: 25mins       Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed
7oz bacon, chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
2 Tbsps butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbsps parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 F. Prick potatoes with a fork and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 F.
2) While potatoes are cooking, cook chopped bacon in a frying pan over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes or until golden.  Add shallots and cook for about one minute, or until shallots are soft.
3) Slice the top third off each potato, horizontally. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out into a bowl, and place the hollowed out skins in a lightly oiled baking dish.
4) Mash the potato and add the milk and butter. Beat until completely combined and smooth. Stir in bacon, cheddar and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5) Spoon the mixture evenly back into the hollowed out skins and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden on top. Serve immediately.

(Recipe adapted from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible)