Sliced Baked Potatoes With Bacon Snake Food

CHEESE AND BACON POTATO ROUNDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush both side of potato slices with butter; place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
• When potatoes are ready, top with bacon, cheese, and green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted

HASSELBACK POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil, then coat the foil with cooking spray.
• Place a potato on a cutting board between two chopsticks. Slice the potato into 1/4 inch thick slices, the chopsticks will prevent you from cutting all the way through.
• Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes. Place the potatoes on the sheet pan.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, butter, salt and pepper.
• Brush the olive oil mixture all over the potatoes, making sure to get some in between the slices.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes until potatoes are tender and browned.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven; let them cool for 5 minutes.
• Insert the cheddar cheese slices in between each cut of the potatoes.
• Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Top each potato with a dollop of sour cream, then sprinkle the bacon and green onions over the top. Serve immediately.

OVEN-BAKED POTATO SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place potatoes, garlic powder, black pepper, celery seed, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt into a zip-top bag. Shake to coat evenly.
• Pour entire contents of bag onto a large baking sheet and spread evenly. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes reach desired crispness, turning frequently to brown evenly, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly and pour into a serving dish.

CRISPY SKILLET POTATOES WITH BACON

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for 1 minute and then drain well and set aside. The potatoes will be cooked about halfway through.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add the olive oil to the skillet with the bacon drippings and increase the heat to medium. Add the potatoes cut-side down. Cook, turning occasionally until the potatoes are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the crispy bacon. Season generously with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chives.

SLICED BAKED POTATOES WITH BACON "SNAKE"

Steps:

• Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan to drain but save drippings.
• Thinly slice washed potatoes, leaving skin on.
• Thinly slice onion.
• Crumble cooled bacon.
• Using the bacon drippings, grease a wide and flat (not deep) casserole or pan (such as a cake pan). (You can also use a large fry pan that can also be used in the oven to crisp bacon and add other ingredient to cut down on mess).
• Layer sliced potatoes, sliced onion and crumbled bacon into pan.
• Add dabs of butter or margarine and salt and pepper.
• Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes until tender.

SMASHED POTATOES WITH BACON SALT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay 4 bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; let cool completely.
• Make the bacon salt (see below). Store extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.
• Put the potatoes and the remaining 2 bacon slices in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, discarding the bacon slices.
• Combine the butter with the milk in the same pot and let melt over medium-low heat. Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher or fork. Add 1 tablespoon of the prepared bacon salt and stir to combine; transfer the potatoes to a bowl and top with more bacon salt.
• How to make Bacon Salt:
• Pulse the cooked bacon in a food processor until finely ground. Spread on paper towels and blot the excess grease.
• Combine the bacon and salt in a small bowl and rub between your fingers until incorporated.
• Photo by Con Poulos

BACON HASSELBACK POTATOES

Steps:

• Lay the bacon pieces on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Using a sharp knife, make crosswise cuts in each potato, about 1/8 inch apart, stopping about 1/4 inch from the bottom.
• Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and carefully transfer to a baking sheet; let cool slightly. Pat the potatoes dry, then insert 3 pieces of the frozen bacon into the cuts of each potato, spacing the bacon evenly and letting it poke out of the top. Melt 5 tablespoons butter and brush generously over the potatoes and in the cuts. Reserve any excess butter for basting. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake until the outsides are browned and crisp, about 2 hours, basting halfway through with the reserved melted butter.
• When the potatoes are almost done, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and mix with the scallions, parsley and garlic. Spoon over the potatoes and roast 5 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and season with salt and pepper.

CRISPY POTATOES WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Put the potatoes and salt in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for 1 minute, then drain. Pat dry.
• Meanwhile, put the bacon in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or a saute pan over medium-low heat, and cook until nearly all the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, aromatic, and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
• Add the 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter or oil to the remaining bacon fat. Increase the heat to medium. Add the potatoes, positioning them in the pan so the cut sides get nice and brown. Cook turning only as needed until the potatoes are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, garlic, and bacon and stir until fragrant and lightly browned. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Serve.

BAKED POTATO SLICES

Steps:

• Cut potatoes into 1/4-in. slices. Place in a large bowl; drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with seasoning blend and salt; toss to coat., Arrange potatoes in a single layer in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.