Between the Cotton Bowl tonight, 4 NFL playoff games on Saturday and Sunday and the the BCS Championship on Monday, I am definitely looking forward to the next four days. These games feature the best match ups of the season, but they also signal the end of the season being very near. To celebrate a great 2012 season try these potato skins! They can be baked up the morning of the game, or made a head of time and reheated. The crisp potato skin is season perfectly wit a thyme butter, making a delicious and easy to serve vehicle for a bacon and brie filling. Don’t waste the potato filling, use it to make mash potatoes.
Bacon Brie Potato Skins
Makes 24 potato skins
5 pounds russet potatoes, about 12 potatoes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 pound thick cut bacon, cooked, drained on paper towels, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 pound Brie cheese, rind removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup chopped scallions (white and green part)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub and dry potatoes. Pierce with fork. Bake potatoes for about 45 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork. Set aside and cool 15 minutes.
Slice each potato in half length wise. With a spoon, scoop out the cooked potato from each half, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh on each potato skin. Place potato halves on cookie sheet cut side up (you may want to line baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper)
Melt butter. Add salt, thyme and pepper to butter. Stir mixture. Brush each potato half with melted butter mixture. Bake potato skins at 400°F, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until butter bubbles. Remove pan from oven Flip potatoes over and brush the skins with melted butter.. Return potato skins to the 400 degree oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until butter bubbles. Remove skins from oven.
Turn potatoes over. Fill each potato skin with bacon. Add bits of Brie to each skin. Top the potato skins with chopped scallion. Bake filled skins in 400 degree oven for about 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove potato skins from oven and serve warm or at room temperature.
Photography ©Taylor Mathis
Recipe© Sally James Mathis
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Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie - Potato skins just got greatly improved by brie, great idea!
Susan in the Boonies - As it happens, I have all these ingredients at home, and a husband who is deeply invested in the bowl games.
Thanks, Tay-Tay!
(I call all my “Taylor” friends “Tay-tay”. Take it as a compliment.)
The Contessa (Linda) - Pure comfort food, plus brie! Who wouldn’t like these – football game or not? Thanks, Taylor.
Suzanne Perazzini - They look like they could make a meal as well as appetizers. Great idea.
DessertForTwo - There is just something about this photo that is SO gorgeous to me! Wow! I mean, all of your stuff is stunning, but this photo in particular really pulls me in. I want it on my wall, is that weird?
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen - I’m totally not a football fan, but I’m a huge fan of football food! I love this slightly fancier version you’ve come up with.