RECIPE: Spicy Cheese and Onion Loaded Potato Skins | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? Thanks to the chillies this recipe is full of antioxidants, as well as being a good source of fibre and suitable for vegetarians.


This isn’t the first time I’ve played around with potato skins (check out my recipe for sweet potato skins with cheese and bacon) but I really enjoy making them – and, more importantly, eating them! 😋

These ones have got a kick with spicy cheese and fresh chillies; they make great antioxidants for the immune system so there’s a good reason for ramping up the heat, but they might be too spicy for those of us with a milder palette. My boyfriend loved them because he’s a sucker for spice but I found them a little eye-watering, so I’d definitely adjust to taste! 🌶

When shopping at my local supermarket (ASDA), I managed to pick up everything I needed for 96p per person, serving up two loaded skins per plate. I thought this was a bargain, especially when I saw how huge and absolutely stuffed to the brim they were when we dished them up!

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INGREDIENTS
2 Large Baking Potatoes
1 Large Red Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Chillies (red or green), Finely Sliced
50g (or half a cup) Spicy Grated Cheese – ASDA do a great firey cheese blend

SEASONING
When you’re mashing together the scooped potato flesh (there has to be a more appealing word than “flesh”, surely…) season with salt and pepper and, if you want an even spicier taste, then you could also throw some dried chilli flakes in there too.


So, this is how I did it…

1. Wash and prick the potatoes, then nuke in the microwave. Each potato should take around 7 minutes; keep going until the insides are soft.

2. Scoop out the potato skins and mix the flesh (there’s that word again…) in a bowl with the red onion, chilli, cheese and seasoning until well combined. While this is all coming together, slip the empty skins under the grill to crisp up.

3. When the potato has been mashed in properly with the other ingredients, remove the skins from the grill and load ’em up.

4. Pop the skins, hopefully now full to the brim, back under the grill for another 5 minutes or so, just until the insides are warmed through and the cheese has melted.


Tips & Tricks

  • Potato skins make an excellent party snack – use smaller potatoes but follow the same steps for some tasty party treats.

 

  • A block of plain, non-spicy, value-range cheese will make this recipe even cheaper, especially if the chillies give you enough heat as it is.

 

  • More traditional fillings, like cheese and bacon or cheese and onion, work just as well with the same method as long as the fillings are prepared as necessary.

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RECIPE: Sweet Potato Skins with Bacon & Cheese | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 1
How much does it cost? This cost me less than 75p per person.
What are the benefits? It counts towards one of your five a day, is high in fibre and high in antioxidants.


I’m not exaggerating when I say that stuffed potato skins are one of the greatest things to come out of America.

Whether they’re served as a wicked restaurant appetiser or a “Mum’s-gone-to-Iceland” picky tea, potato skins are always a winner 👌

The idea behind this one is to elevate these little pockets of heaven to a more nutritious place where your body can reap the benefits as much as your tastebuds. My sweet potato twist with low fat cheese is still totally satisfying, I guarantee you, but it also helps count towards your five a day too.

Honestly, these are SO tasty and well worth a try. Cheese and bacon is a pretty tried-and-tested flavour combo – believe me, it works! – but the bacon can easily be swapped for onion, chives or black beans for a veggie alternative. Also, give it a try with some chilli flakes or fresh jalapeños for a feisty kick.

These sweet, crispy skins are packed with salty bacon and strong cheddar cheese to bring out the fantastic flavours of the USA 🇺🇸


INGREDIENTS
1 Sweet Potato
1 Slice of Unsmoked Bacon
Handful of Low Fat Grated Cheese (approx 30g)
2 tbsp BBQ Sauce
1 tbsp American Mustard

SEASONING
Before the potato goes into the oven, rub a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper over the skin. When your combining the flesh with bacon and cheese, make sure to add a squeeze of BBQ sauce and American mustard to the mix, as well as some more salt and pepper to season. These are simple flavours, but they all work really well together.


So, this is how I did it…

1. Sweet potatoes can be a bit gritty, so wash and prick them properly. Then rub a teeny drop of oil, salt and pepper on the skins, wrap very loosely in foil and pop into the oven at 220°C. I had an absolute BEAST of a potato so it took ages in my rickety old oven, but usually they take between 45 – 60 minutes to cook.

2. For the last 20 minutes of cooking, add a slice of bacon to the tray and oven cook this as well, flipping over halfway until it goes all crispy 🥓

3. Remove the potato and bacon from the oven. Cut the bacon into small pieces and add to a bowl, then scoop the potato flesh from the skins and chuck it in there too. While you’re combining this all together, stick the skins back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

4. Mix together the bacon, sweet potato, almost all of the cheese (leave a little!) as well as a squeeze of BBQ sauce, American mustard and salt and pepper for seasoning. Remove the skins from the oven and scoop the mixture back into them.

5. Switch on the grill, sprinkle what’s left of the cheese on top of the skins and stick them under the grill for a few minutes, until the cheese bubbles and the skins are crispy 🍠

potato skins angle EDIT