Over Loaded Baked Potato Food

LOADED BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and spray a 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Cook the bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
• Put the potatoes into the prepared casserole dish. Toss with the reserved 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast until the potatoes are soft and begin to brown, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the cream cheese and 1 cup Cheddar in a bowl until well combined. Dollop over the potatoes, then sprinkle with the remaining cup Cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the potatoes are completely cooked through when poked with a knife, 13 to 15 minutes.
• Dollop the sour cream evenly over the casserole and sprinkle with the scallions and bacon pieces.

LOADED MINI BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on top. Bake until the bacon is golden brown and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess fat and let cool. Crumble cooled bacon.
• Discard the parchment and pour off the remaining excess bacon drippings from the baking sheet, leaving only a thin coating of fat on the baking sheet. Reserve the poured-off drippings. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
• Toss the fingerling potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon drippings, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the potatoes cut-side-down on the baking sheet in a crowded single layer. Bake until the potatoes just start to brown, 15 minutes, then flip and continue to bake until cooked through, golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes more.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven and place the baking sheet on a heat-safe surface. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to push the potatoes together so that they are all touching but remain in a single layer. Sprinkle the potatoes with the cheese and bacon, return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer the potatoes to a platter with a large spatula. Top with dollops of sour cream and the scallions. Finish by squeezing the lemon over the top. Serve hot.

FULLY LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the potatoes on a roasting tray and bake for 45 minutes. When done, the tip of a paring knife should go through the potatoes easily.
• Slice the bacon into lardons (thin strips) and cook in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
• Add the flour to the drippings in the pot and stir to combine. Cook, without adding color, until the flour and fat has combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk while you whisk to incorporate. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
• Scoop out the potato pulp from the skins and add to the milk mixture. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon leaving it a little bit chunky.
• Add the cooked bacon (leaving a little out for garnishing the soup), 1 cup of the cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with sour cream (from a squeeze bottle), sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, grated cheese and chives.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Position 2 racks in the center of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F. Thoroughly wash and dry the potatoes, then prick each all over 8 to 10 times with a fork. Rub the butter evenly on the potatoes, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet with at least 1 inch of space between them.
• Put the bacon in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Place both baking sheets in the oven, the bacon below the potatoes. Cook the bacon, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, 18 to 20 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, let cool and then crumble. Bake the potatoes, flipping halfway through, until the skin is crispy and a small knife inserted in the center goes in and out without any resistance, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a cutting board and let cool completely, about 2 hours; quarter each cooled potato lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, bacon, Cheddar and white parts of the scallions, and gently stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with the scallion greens right before serving.

EASY LOADED BAKED POTATOES (4 WAYS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Clean potatoes and wrap with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour or until tender.
• Cut a large X on top of potato and make an opening.
• Load with topping.
• Variation #1 Ham and Alfredo:.
• Pour Alfredo sauce in a sauce pan and stir in ham.
• Cook over medium heat until mixture is hot.
• Spoon mixture over potatoes.
• Variation #2 Broccoli and Cheese:.
• Heat Brocoli and cheese mixture in a sauce pan over medium heat until hot.
• Spoon mixture over potato.
• Variation #3 Tex Mex:.
• Spoon 2 Tablespoons of salsa on each potato.
• Top with sour cream and guacamole.
• Variation #4 Chili and Cheese:.
• Stir chili and cheese together in a medium sauce pan and heat on medium heat.
• Cook until cheese is melted and spoon mixture over potatoes.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Pierce potatoes with fork, brush with oil. Bake one hour or until tender. Let cool, then cut into bite sized pieces.
• Cook bacon in skillet until crisp, drain.
• In a large bowl, combine butter and sour cream; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the potatoes, bacon, scallions and cheese. Serve at room temperature.

LOADED BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Wash the sweet potatoes and puncture with a fork then wrap in aluminum foil.
• Place on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
• When the potatoes are almost done, melt butter and mix with brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Remove potatoes from oven and change oven temp to broil.
• Unwrap potatoes leaving the foil under them to catch any drippings.
• Slice potatoes down the middle and spoon butter mixture evenly into all 5 potatoes.
• Top each potato with 1/4 cup marshmallow cream.
• Place pan in broiler and broil for 1-3 minutes. (watch closely because they can burn easily if forgotten).
• ENJOY!

EASY LOADED BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
• Meanwhile, arrange bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels and crumble.
• Combine 1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, sour cream, salt, and black pepper in the pot with potatoes. Mash with a potato masher until creamy. Spread potato mixture into prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes; sprinkle with bacon, green onions, and remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Return to oven and continue baking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more.

LOADED BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Toss potatoes with oil in a large bowl until well coated. Add garlic salt, chili powder, and pepper and continue to toss until spices are evenly distributed.
• Place potatoes directly on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center of a potato offers little resistance, about 40 minutes more.
• Slice each baked potato lengthwise down the center, add sour cream, green onions, Cheddar cheese, and bacon. Serve piping hot.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Cube and boil potatoes with salt.
• Drain.
• Crumble bacon and slice onions (including tops).
• Combine sour cream, pepper and Miracle Whip.
• Add to potatoes.
• Add bacon, onions and cheese (reserve some of each for top).
• Mix with potatoes.
• Pour into baking dish.
• Top with reserved cheese, onions, and bacon.
• Bake 350 for 10-15 minutes (until cheese melts).

LOADED BAKED POTATO WONTONS

Steps:

• Fill a large pot halfway up with oil and heat to 365 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet, over medium heat, until crispy on both sides, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer onto paper towels to drain, and then roughly chop.
• Prepare the mashed potatoes according to package directions and then stir in half of the bacon, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, and half of the cheese. Let cool to room temperature.
• To shape the wontons, work with one wrapper at a time. Add about a teaspoon or two of the potato mixture in the center. Brush the edges with egg wash and then seal and crimp into a triangle. Fold 2 points together, brush with egg and pinch to seal. Continue shaping until all the filling has been used.
• Once vegetable oil is hot, carefully add a few of the wontons at a time and fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and continue frying the rest.
• To make the sauce, stir together the sour cream, garlic, salt, pepper and scallions. Set aside.
• Arrange the wontons onto a baking sheet, piling them up in the center. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bacon and bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, just to melt the cheese.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining bacon and chives. Serve with scallion sour cream sauce on the side.