Loaded Potato Skins with Spicy Ranch

As I sit and wait for my next class to start, all I can think about is getting out of here. This is one long day for me, and I am so ready to be home & have some time to relax. But one thing that always seems to cheer me up is yummy, greasy, not-good-for-ya food. We all know that I have expressed my deep love for tailgatin' food, especially coming from the University of Alabama, so now that college football has ended (sad face), at least there is one more thing to look forward to, and that's the Super Bowl. It's really the one time of the year that almost every person has a party, even if they aren't involved or excited about sports, which I think is something to celebrate. I have a few favorites that will always be served at my shindigs like my jalapeno popper dip, crazy-good spinach-artichoke dip, and my always-requested candied bacon-wrapped smoked sausages. But, here's a new recipe that is sure to please. My Loaded Potato Skins are baked until crispy & crunchy, then stuffed full with thick cut bacon, lots of melted cheese, and zippy green onions, and served with a spicy ranch for dippin'. I realize that these babies don't sound that crazy, or unique, or "out-of-the-box, which I typically do with all my food. Sometimes, you just need a classic recipe, that'll never fail ya. And that's what this is. It's a recipe that will please every taste bud at your party, so you don't have to worry about them not getting gobbled up. They will be gone in a second!! Enjoy :)

Loaded Potato Skins with Spicy Ranch

Potatoes, Cheese, & Bacon... Can it get any better?

For the Loaded Potato Skins:

6 Small Russet Baking Potatoes

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Vegetable Oil

Montreal Steak Seasoning

Cajun Seasoning

12-15 Slices of Thick Cut Bacon, Cooked until Crispy & Roughly Chopped

1C Pepperjack Cheese, Grated

1C Yellow Cheddar Cheese, Grated

Fresh Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

For the Spicy Ranch:

1T Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

½C Mayo

½C Sour Cream

½C Buttermilk

¼t Coarse Black Pepper, Paprika, & Garlic Powder

Hot Sauce, To Taste

     

Directions:

1. Scrub the potatoes clean, and then toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake the potatoes in an oven at 400°F for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool, and then roughly chop.
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.
4. Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F and brush the vegetable oil all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with Montreal steak seasoning and Cajun seasoning. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp, use a roasting pan or broiler pan that can take the heat). Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes (or until the potatoes are golden brown and beginning to crisp). Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
5. Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with the shredded cheese mixture and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown & bubbly. Remove from oven. Use tongs to place skins on a serving plate. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with spicy ranch.
6. For the Spicy Ranch: Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Chill for at least an hour to help the flavors meld together.

source: potato skins.