Potato Skins

Potatoes? check. 

Bacon? check. 

Cheese? check! 

                                    

Congrats, you are now going to be making the delicacy known as potato skins. 

Troy and I have been to a few restaurants (TGIFriday's, Huey's) that have these and we decided to see if we could replicate them. The results? Pure deliciousness. These appetizers can literally be eaten as a meal... and one time they were in place of a meal because our main course was ruined (but we'll just chalk that culinary failure up to a learning experience.).

Ingredients:
5 medium sized Russet potatoes (we use red potatoes too... just as good!)

10 tablespoons of cheddar cheese
4-5 strips of bacon
1/4 cup of butter

Sour cream*
Ranch*

Chives*

* delicious optional toppings

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover the potatoes in foil and bake them for one hour.
2. After they have been baked for an hour, take them out and take off the foil. Put them on a cutting board and cut each potato in half length wise and let them cool.
3. Turn your oven to broil. Cook your bacon and pat the grease off with a paper towel. Crumble the bacon strips into small pieces.
4. After the potatoes have cooled (trust me, it is NOT fun to try to cut the potatoes when they are still hot), heat the butter in a mug in the microwave (it takes us about 30 seconds to melt).
5. Using a spoon, scoop about 3/4th of the potato out. So there should be about 1/4 of an inch thick potato skin. After each potato has been scooped, brush the butter on the entire potato. You can use the unused scooped potatoes as an appetizer or for future mashed potatoes.

6. Broil the potatoes on a cookie sheet, cut side up, for 5-7 minutes. Take them out and put 1 tablespoon of cheese (or more) onto each potato skin. Add the bacon on top and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted (this doesn't take long).
7. Take out and devour!

You can dip these babies into ranch, sour cream (yes, please!) and add some chives to the top. They are wonderful. Troy and I are hooked. Absolutely hooked. We will never look back and are just finding reasons for ways to make them.

I'm just glad they are healthy... oh, wait.

But at least they are tasty and impressive!

Upon making these many times, I've learned a few tricks. The first: Always wrap the potatoes in foil. If you don't, they will burn. The second: Use a mug instead of a bowl to warm the butter. Instead of a burning yourself after taking the bowl out of the microwave, you now have a handy dandy handle to use. The third: Well, this isn't a tip but I've never broiled anything before and I was pretty much terrified of it. But basically all it means is that the oven gets VERY hot and the heat comes from the top of the oven only.

We adapted the recipe from this website.

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Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks

So... bacon wrapped breadsticks either sound terribly disgusting or deliciously delightful. My husband was skeptical and I was curious so I first made these for his 30th birthday party. They are ridiculously easy to make and will be a big hit at any party.

Most recently, I made these for our small group and there were none left over! It's true, I am awesome.

Ingredients:
A package of bacon (your choice but I would stick with a thinner bacon)
A package of refrigerated breadsticks (I prefer Pillsbury breadsticks)
Grated parmesan cheese
Garlic Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray PAM on a cookie sheet. Open the package of breadsticks and lay them on the sheet. Wrap one strip of bacon around each breadstick. After all breadsticks are completed, sprinkle garlic salt and the parm cheese on the top of the breadsticks. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is done to your liking. Take out and if you desire, you can sprinkle some more garlic salt and cheese on and serve immediately. Yum!

I know - that was tough but you can get through it.

Now you will have as many new friends as you had breadsticks.

Jalapeno Poppers

Jala jala peno!

2 Christmases ago, Troy and I were invited over to lunch with a family we know from our church, the Longs, and they introduced us to this wonderful delicacy - jalapeno poppers. Once we had one bite, we were hooked. We have made these lovely appetizers for every occasion.... literally. We made them for football games, his 30th birthday, the Superbowl, Thanksgiving and well, any occasion we can think of like Saturday afternoons, random Tuesday evenings, etc.

You should pick jalapenos that are firm, smooth and not too big.

Ingredients:
15 jalapeno peppers
1 eight ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 package of bacon, cut in half (your favorite will do)
1 twelve ounce package of ground sausage
30 toothpicks

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Brown sausage in a pan on medium high heat.
3. Drain the grease and put sausage in a medium bowl. Add the softened cream cheese and mix together.
4. Now comes the fun part. Cut the stems off the jalapenos and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove all of the seeds. I've never done this before but I heard that you can fill your sink up with water and remove the seeds under water and the sting of the jalapeno won't be as strong. Don't touch your eyes after cutting and de-seeding (is that a word?) the jalapenos... you'll regret it immediately.
5. Let the stuffing begin! Stuff each jalapeno equally with the sausage/cream cheese mixture.
6. Wrap each jalapeno tightly with the halved bacon slice and secure with a toothpick.
7. Spray a baking sheet or two with PAM and fill with delicious jalapeno poppers. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes. After ten or so minutes, you will hear the crackling of the bacon and the smell will fill the room.
8. Take out and enjoy.

Beware. After you get addicted to these, you will want to throw jalapenos on anything - pizza, pastas, tacos, enchiladas, whatever. These are super easy to make and don't require many ingredients but can just be a little time consuming. Impress your friends and enjoy these yummy appetizers!