FRUGAL BUFFET SNACKS: SKINNIER STUFFED POTATO SKINS

 Skinnier Twice-Baked Potatoes                  

'Wonderful!' Middle-Aged Tester   (14/6/16) 

Stuffed Potato Skins* were designed in the 1970's for the male palate but became popular with the entire family.  They were off the menu, though, for the health conscious: too white, too high on the glucose index, too much saturated fat.  

67's Skinnier version are lower in fat, full of good fibre and so easy and tasty your teenagers will make them.  

There is something about the crispy skin and the bashed potato filling stuffed with goodies that makes them irresistable. 

For the fat-phobic, replace cream cheese with yoghurt-mayo Or use 100% strained fat-free yoghurt (Greek is good).

The portion per serving is half a potato; quartered potatoes served in foil boats are also acceptable.

The recipe is forgiving -- leave out some things, replace others -- no problem.  But yoghurt and cheese with some veg are essential.  The first stage of preparation can be made up to two days ahead.

*first posted 2016

Cost: £2.50
Feeds: 8-16

Ingred:
   4 baking potatoes (not ginormous ones)
   1-2 tbsp olive oil
   pepper & a little salt
   
   2-4 tbsp butter (opt)
   1/4 cup strained 0-fat yoghurt plus 1/4 cup fat-reduced cream cheese OR 1/2 cup yoghurt-mayo OR strained plain fat-free Icelandic or Greek yoghurt
   2 spring onions or 3-4 tbsp chives, finely chopped
   1/3-1/2 cup reduced-fat cheese, grated (Davidstow or M&S preferred) 
   4 slices streaky bacon, baked 20 mins in a 180c/350f oven, blotted with paper towels & coarsely chopped (opt )
   4 tbsp corn niblets (opt)
   4 tbsp diced green or other coloured peppers 
   2-4 tbsp milk   

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400f/200c/180fan/gas 5-6 
2. Wash potatoes; cut out any blemishes; dry; roll in olive oil, pepper & salt; prick with a fork in a few places
3. Bake naked (don't wrap in foil!) in the centre of the oven on a rack, one hour (place a baking tray on the floor of the oven to catch drips)
4. Set aside a little spring onion, bacon & cheese for garnish
5. Allow potatoes to cool 5 mins; wearing clean oven gloves, slice into neat vertical halves
6. Leaving a 1/2 inch/1cm rim around the edges & bottom, scoop out the flesh and put into a med bowl 
7. Add butter; blend into potato with a fork 
8. Add yoghurt-cream cheese OR yoghurt-mayo OR yoghurt (the choice is yours), spring onions, crumbled bacon & cheese; mix well
9. Stir in other preferred ingredients and pile back into the potato shells
10. Either return to the oven (see step 11) OR when cool, cling film and refrigerate up to 2 days
11. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350f/180c; bake on a baking tray on lower shelf 20-40 mins or until heated through                           
12. Garnish with grated cheese, bacon and spring onions.  

Tips:

• These can be frozen but do not add green onions until just before serving.       

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This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.