Christmas Cheesy Potato Skins

If you love cheese and potatoes then this is a recipe for you. Ooey, gooey yumminess. I call them “Christmas” skins because the red and green jalapeno’s on top give them a festive look. Would look wonderful on the table during your holiday gathering served with a side of sour cream!

Traditionally, russet potatoes are usually used for potato skins, but I love the texture of gold potatoes, they are creamy and melt in your mouth…so I use that type, but by all means use whatever potato you prefer or have on hand.

In this recipe I use white cheeses, but you can substitute for whatever you have, as long as one of the cheeses is the type that melt easy, like monterey jack, mozzarella, gouda, fontina and so on. I used a morel mushroom and leek jack this time (because that is what I had on hand) and a white cheddar. I also prefer to shred my own cheese instead of buying it pre-shredded. It just is tastier and melts better then the shredded cheese in a bag…but work with what you got!

You can also make these the day before and reheat them in the oven or microwave, although you won’t have those crispy edges anymore they are still wonderfully tasty and a great side!

You will need:

• 10 medium potatoes, scrubbed & washed well then air dried
• 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
• 6 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces white cheddar, shredded
• 4 stalks green onions, sliced (reserve a few for garnish)
• 2 jalapeno peppers (one red and one green), sliced thinly

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Put potatoes onto a foil lined baking sheet.
3. Drizzle some olive oil over the potatoes and use your hands to coat the oil all over the potato.
4. Salt and pepper the potatoes on all sides.
5. Bake potatoes for about an hour, or until they are done, and remove from oven
6. Set oven to 400 degrees.
7. Wait 5 minutes before handling the hot potatoes, cut potatoes in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a 3/8th inch border…be sure to leave some of the flesh on the bottom part of the potato too 🙂 .
8. Take a pastry brush (or drizzle and use your fingers) and coat the inside flesh and around the top edges of the potato with a olive oil, or you can use melted butter if you prefer.
9. Salt & pepper the inside of the potato.
10. Set back into oven for 10-15 more minutes so the skins can get a little crispier and the inside gets lightly golden.
11. In the meantime, mix your shredded cheeses and the sliced green onions (reserve a few green onion slices for garnish). Using two forks makes it easier.
12. Take out your potatoes and pile the cheese & green onion mixture into the cavities.
13. Top it with a slice of jalapeno and put back into the oven for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the jalapeno has cooked through.

Kali Orexi!