Loaded Potato Skins

Last summer, I went to the 99 restaurant and ordered the "Outrageous Potato Skins" appetizer (highly recommend!!). It tasted so good and looked so simple that I wanted to replicate it at home. And so I did. I also made this during a Thanksgiving gathering last year, which turned out to be a big hit.

DISCLAIMER: I normally do not measure the ingredients that I use. Everything is eyeballed and guesstimated but I will try my best to provide you with some type of measurements!

All servings and quantities depend on how much you want to make.

Ingredients:

• Small potatoes (red or white)
• Krafts Three Cheese with Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• Bacon (raw or pre-cooked)
• Sour Cream
• Ketchup

Steps:

1.) Boil a pot of water.

2.) Clean potatoes and add them to the pot once the water boils. Let the potatoes cook for about 10-15 minutes or until they are cooked.

3.) If you are using raw bacon, heat up a frying pan with oil and cook the bacon until they are crispy. Place the bacon on a plate layered with napkins so that it can absord some of the oil. Remember to let the bacon fully cool down.

4.) If you are using pre-cooked bacon, then follow the cooking directions on the box.

5.) Once the bacon is completely cooled down, turn them into bacon bits! You can cut them into small pieces or what I like to do is wrap them around the napkin and scrunch them up with my hands. This way, you can remove more excess oil.

6.) Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

7.) When the potatoes are cooked, drain them from the pot and cut them in half. Then, take a spoon and scoop out some of the potatoes. Do not scoop out everything! Leave a bit of the potatoes attached to the skin (about 1/4 of an inch).

8.) Once all the potatoes have been scooped, you can start filling them in. Load the potato skins with the cheese. I like using the Krafts Three Cheese because it has a hint of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and just tastes good with this dish. I am not a cheese expert so you can use any type of cheese that you want, but make sure that its shredded.

9.) Now sprinkle the bacon bits on top of the cheese.

10.) Place the loaded potato skins on a baking sheet layered with aluminum foil. Put them in the oven for about 15 minutes. Once the cheese is melted, everything is done!

You can use ketchup and/or sour cream as a dipping sauce.

This is a great dish to bring to a potluck party. It is also a fun dish to do with kids. I made this one time with my 7-year-old nephew and his friend. They really enjoyed filling the potatoes!

Good luck and I hope you enjoy the potato skins!!