Loaded Potato Skins

Mmmm.. the perfect comfort food!!! Sometimes I just get that craving for typical American grub! First thing that springs to mind... loaded potato skins topped with crispy bacon and melted cheese, oh yeah!!! 

I first tried these bad boys at one of my favorite restaurants here in Malta - Henry J Beans Bar & Grill - highly recommended! I instantly went mad over these. They are served as a starter.. but I quite possibly could eat a whole tray of them if I was given the opportunity to! 

Tried them at home and discovered they are immensely easy to make. What's more you can actually top these with a variety of ingredients as desired. However the simple recipe below remains my fav! 

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Ingredients: 

- 5 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed and thoroughly dried
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Ground sea salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 slices fried bacon, crumbled
- 1 small onion, finely diced 
- ½ cup cream cheese (or sour cream)
- 1 tbsp chives, chopped

Method: 

Heat the oven to 200 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Slice each potato in half lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out the middle of the potatoes, leaving a shell about 1 cm thick. Reserve the flesh for later use. Brush the inside of the potatoes with melted butter and place directly on the rack in the oven and allow to bake until the skins are crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and leave until cool enough to handle. 

In the meantime, dice the onion and dry fry the bacon until crispy. Crumble the bacon to small bits and set aside for later use. Finely dice the reserved potato flesh into tiny pieces. Mix these in with the cream cheese and season. 

Evenly fill each potato with the cream cheese mixture. Top with the crumbled bacon and onion and finally grate the cheddar cheese over the top of the loaded skins. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes have cooked. 

Serve immediately, with a sprinkle of chives over the top & seasoned according to taste.