I should call this “waste not, want not” which simply means, wise use of one’s resources will keep one from poverty. Although that may be a little overkill, who wants to waste food? Remember what our parents told us of the starving children in other countries? Sadly nowadays it happens in our own country. That cast aside, these two recipes share ingredients so nothing goes to waste, your mama would be proud.
First off is a pub and bar favorite, potato skins. Potato skins are like a small version of a fully loaded baked potato; cheese, green onions and uncured bacon with plain Greek yogurt to dip. Yes, Greek yogurt, while you could use sour cream why do it when Greek yogurt is better for you and has probiotics that as Dr. Travis Stork (The Doctors) will tell you, is good for you little buddies, the microbes in your gut and it tastes the same if not better. My 20 year old son didn’t even know it was yogurt, make it your little secret. It doesn’t just have to be an appetizer or snack, it makes for a good for a lunch or dinner too, maybe served with a side salad.
Potato skins are really good for you, the bulk of the nutrients lie in the skin itself not the flesh. Unlike eating a baked potato and discarding the shell of the skin, you’re actually eating that nutrient rich skin. We start off by rubbing the skins with olive oil, sea salt and pepper – adds more flavor to the skin rather than how it normally is plain. The oil, salt and pepper actually penetrate not only the skin but the outer parts of the flesh and the oil aids in a crispy texture.
Once the potatoes are baked and cooled enough to handle, you cut them open lengthwise and scoop out the flesh leaving about 1/2″ or less of flesh attached to the skin. Shredded cheese, green onions and bits of crispy bacon are sprinkled on the insides and then returned to the oven on broil and are cooked until cheese is melted. You then serve it with Greek yogurt for dipping, yum!
Alas, we have another recipe with ingredients from the first, baked potato soup. The flesh you just scooped out of the potato skins gets a new life in a soup. Place the leftover potato into a medium sauce pan along with milk, salt and pepper to create a delicious soup. I put a few tablespoons of Irish butter in the soup. Kerrygold is a popular brand found in most markets and let’s face it, potatoes and Irish butter, they were meant to be together and Irish butter is made from grass fed cows and not highly processed unlike most U.S. butters.
The soup simmers until it thickens, if you like a less chunky soup you can puree the potatoes in a blender of food processor but I find an immersion blender works much better allowing you to leave some larger chunks if you wish. Once the soup is done you can serve it with the same toppings as you used for the potato skins; shredded cheese, uncured bacon, green onion or chives and Greek yogurt.
- 4 medium to large Russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup cheddar, shredded
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup uncured bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Wash and scrub potatoes, set aside
- Combine olive oil, sea salt and pepper in small bowl, rub potatoes with oil mixture and place on baking sheet.
- Bake potatoes 1 hour or until soft when squeezed.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool, cool enough to handle.
- Slice potatoes lengthwise and scoop out flesh lin the center eaving about a 1/2" or less attached to the skin, reserve scooped out potatoes for making Baked Potato Soup.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Place potato skins on same baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon. Return to oven and broil until cheese is melted but not browned.
- Remove from oven, serve with Greek yogurt.
- The flesh of 4 baked Russet potatoes
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Irish butter (optional)
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup uncured bacon, cooked and crumbled
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat add potato and milk, add in sea salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until it starts to thicken. Be careful not to use high heat as the milk will separate. If you want a less chunky soup puree the mixture in blender or food processor or use an immersion blender.
- Once soup has thickened, serve warm in bowls and garnish with cheese, onions and bacon.
- Irish butter is not accounted for in nutritional data.
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