I’m making potato skins – lots and lots of potato skins. Why you may ask? Well, cause it’s my sweetheart’s favorite tailgating food and this week our family is visiting Daytona for the Daytona 500.
With race cars speeding past as we look out over the lake mere feet from our RV, you can smell food cooking from nearly every RV around us. You’ll find a mighty wide variety here – from folks who love to participate in BBQ competitions to people just unboxing their new grills and smokers and everything in between.
Like a tailgater’s mecca, race week brings out the foodie in everyone I’ve met so far. They are flipping hamburgers, hotdogs, steaks, pulling pork and dishing up plates of seafood, fish, and every kind of side dish you can imagine. They all make your mouth water with just a whiff.
But I hereby declare that the simple potato skin works with any tailgating menu I’ve concocted so far. And I’ve concocted quiet a few.
Here’s how I make mine.
- 6 baking potatoes, scrubbed and baked
- olive oil
- salt
- 12 ounces jack and colby cheese, shredded (or favorite cheese blend)
- 6 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Split baked potatoes in half and scoop out center of potato.
- Brush potato on inside and on the skin with olive oil and place on baking sheet, skin side up. Sprinkle with salt.
- Place in oven for approximately 5 minutes, remove from oven and flip.
- Broil for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and fill hollowed interior with shredded cheese and top with bacon crumbles.
- Return to oven for approximately 5 minutes or until cheese has melted and is bubbly.
- Serve warm.
Here’s another trick I’ve learned over the years. You can easily make your potato skins ahead of time, saving the final heating until you are ready to serve them.
I won’t even ask who your favorite NASCAR driver is. That’s even a hot discussion around our house. But I will ask, what’s your favorite tailgating food?
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A great Lazy Mom Recipe with 5 ingredients or less! Wahoooo!
Goodness me these look good n tasty!
We don’t do tailgaiting of any kind but I do love potato skins… oh yes I do! Infact I feel like you’re taunting me because I’ve been wanting them for a while but I don’t have the ingredients gah! Maybe my next shopping trip… if not, I WILL get some for my birthday dinner next month
nomnomnom Very good timing my friend. Me want!!!
Heaven. That looks like heaven to me.
I love tailgating and I love potato skins! Oh and I also love Kyle Busch.
Yum! I love potato skins, but I’ve never ventured to make them at home.
Mmmmmmmmm….I want.
I haven’t had potato skins in such a long time! Thanks for the tip about making them ahead of time.
So hungry now! Sounds like perfect tailgating food. Fun!
Those potato skins look super good. But what I really want is to go to the Daytona 500 with you! FUN!!!!!
does beer count as tailgaiting food? hee hee- I guess ol’ fashioned hot dogs are one of my faves
I have a friend at Daytona too!!! Lucky girls!
and LOVE potato skins! ok, so I love any recipe that calls for a piece of bacon for each potato!
Yum! My hubby likes to order these as an appetizer at restaurants, but I’ve never tried making them at home. I’ll have to bookmark this recipe
You’ll love making them at home, Jen. So, so simple and he’ll love them for sure!
These look like the perfect tailgate food, for sure!
Oh, that picture just made me really, really hungry!!!
Potato skins are one of Hubby’s favorites. Since, personally, I’ve never one I didn’t like either I’m going to have to give these a try.
It’s pretty cool when we get to fix the favorites! Hope he loves it.
That looks delish!
Here’s a little tip, after scooping the potato, try to do it while leaving just a thin edge of potato. Fry the potato until crispy, finish as stated. Worked in a high end steak house and that is how we used to do back in the early 90′s. I still make them at home that way. When I first got married, my new husband had a taste for them so I made them up for him the next day. He asked how I had time to go by and pick them up. Eventually I was caught when we where having a small family gathering. He had NO idea I made them at home.
What temperature should the oven be? It’s missing from your instructions. Thanks!
Hi Jenny, I set my broiler at 400º F. Hope you enjoy these!