Recipe: Cheater's Potato Skins

Can you tell I've been lazy lately? Not in the all-I-want-to-do-is-sleep, I'm-too-tired-to-think, someone-please-order-me-a-pizza way (OK, there have been a few of those nights), but more in the I-need-home-cooked-food-but-couldn't-possibly-stand-in-the-kitchen-for-an-hour way. Do you follow?


So, Super Bowl Sunday. I love potato skins, but have you ever tried to make them? They are so hard! I always end up slicing too much off and getting mangled skins, or ending up with really really thick ones, and it's just not worth the effort to me. PROBLEM SOLVED!


So the woman who originally posted the recipe calls them potato rounds, but they're pretty much cheater's 'tater skins to me. And they're really, really yummy. A couple tips:

• You could cook potatoes this way without all the cheese and bacon, and have a yummy side dish for dinner
• You should definitely start growing your own green onions. I have, and it's amazing how fast they grow. Next time you buy them, just save the white bulb and put it into a small glass of water in your window sill. You'll have growth in days, and a constant supply of green onions. Ah, nature!

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• Sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line cookie sheet(s) with aluminum foil - trust me on this one
3. Cut potatoes into 1/2 slices
   
4. Mix garlic, salt & pepper with melted butter
5. Brush both sides of each potato slice with butter mixture
   
6. Bake 30 minutes, turning once in the middle (make sure the potatoes don't start to brown too much)
7. Remove from oven, top with bacon, green onion and cheese
8. Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly
9. Serve with a side of sour cream for dipping