Stuffed Potato Skins

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 8 (3-inch-long) russet potatoes(about 2 1/4 pounds), scrubbed and thoroughly dried
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 5 to 6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Step 1

Pierce each potato 10-15 times with a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until a knife can easily pierces the potatoes, about 50 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Change the oven to broil.
With a sharp knife, slice each potato in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out the centers, leaving about 1/4 inch intact. You can keep the centers for other things such as mashed potatoes. Brush the insides and outsides with salt and pepper. Evenly space the potato halves face-down on a baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes. Flip the potatoes and broil until the top edges just start to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Fill each skin with cheese and crumbled bacon. Place under the broiler until for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted . Remove from the broiler and top each with 1 teaspoon of the sour cream and a sprinkling of the chives. Serve immediately.