Aren’t potato skins yummy?

Right?  I think so, too.

So, I decided to make some at home!

These tasty little buggers are surprisingly easy.  I even microwaved the potatoes to cook them faster than baking them in the oven.

I usually like to throw some (okay, a lot of) sour cream and sliced green onions, but we also tried them with some Homemade Ranch Dressing and that was pretty awesome, too.

Try out this potato skin recipe if you’re looking for an easy and tasty appetizer — or even meal.

Baked Potato Skins

6-8 small-to-medium russet potatoes (about 3 inches long, approx. 2 lbs.)
5 to 6 slices bacon
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream or this Homemade Ranch Dressing
2 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions

Directions

There are two ways you can cook the potatoes in preparation to make the skins. I personally take the shortcut of the microwave method, but feel free to choose whichever you prefer.

For the microwave method, clean and scrub the potatoes and place into a large Ziploc bag. Add 1-2 tbsp. water to the potatoes in the bag and then place, unzipped (but bag open upright), into the microwave. Heat on high for 8 minutes. Check the potatoes after 8 minutes by gently squeezing the potatoes using a dish towel or oven mitt. Be very careful as the steam and potatoes are very hot. If the potatoes do not “give” when you gently squeeze them, heat on high for an additional 3-6 minutes, depending on how hard the potatoes still are. Once the potatoes are soft, carefully remove from the microwave. Avoiding the steam from the bag, cut the bag open and allow the potatoes to cool before handling.

If using the oven to bake the potatoes, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using a sharp knife or a fork, pierce each potato several times. Place the potatoes directly on an oven rack in the middle of the oven and bake until the skins are crisp and a knife easily cuts into the potatoes, about 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Allow to cool and crumble into small pieces. Set aside.

Set oven to broil.

Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the flesh while leaving about 1/4 inch. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the potato skins, cut side down so the skins are facing up, on the sheet. Brush the melted butter on the skins and season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler in the oven. Broil until the butter starts to foam and the skin starts to look crispy, about 2-4 minutes. Flip the skins over and repeat with the skins face up. Broil for an additional 2-4 minutes or until the top edge of the potato starts to crisp. Remove from the oven.

Fill each skin with the cheese and crumbled bacon as evenly as possible. Place back into the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from the broiler and top each with a dollop of sour cream (or ranch dressing) and sprinkle some of the green onions over the skin.

Serve immediately.

So my parents visited Israel last year and brought me back this awesome spice container with all sorts of foreign spices.

They also brought me an antique mortar and pestle to grind some of the whole spices. Do they know their daughter, or what?!? 

The whole thing was an amazing gift that I am very happy to have and am very fond of.

Right after my parents gave me this gift, which happened to be while they were visiting, we all decided we wanted to put it to use.  And soon!

After discussing it for probably way too long, we came up with the idea to make Tandoori Chicken.  None of us had ever made it before, but we all were interested in eating it and intrigued by making it from scratch.

So, we did some research online, went to the grocery store and the rest is history.

That night, we made Tandoori Chicken, steamed asparagus and jasmine rice.  It was one of those meals that was super tasty and fun to experiment with that I will remember for many years to come.

I’ve made this recipe several times since that night and have found it is very reliable and forgiving — and it’s always good.

I don’t tend to go out of my comfort zone as often as I’d like or probably should with my cooking so I am very glad that we did.  This is one meal (and gift!) that is a keeper for sure.

Thanks again, Mom and Dad!

Tandoori Chicken

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. garam masala
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. bone-in, skinless chicken (can be combo of breasts, thighs, legs)

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Combine the coriander, cumin, ginger, cayenne, paprika and garam masala in a small bowl. Once the oil is hot, add the spice mixture and stir to incorporate. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat until fragrant. Turn the heat off and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled spice and oil mixture to the yogurt. Add the lemon juice, salt and garlic and stir to combine.

Using a sharp knife, slice 2-3 deep slits (almost to the bone) into each piece of chicken. Add all the chicken to the large mixing bowl with the yogurt sauce and stir to coat well. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours (if possible!).

Preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Once chicken is ready and grill is heated, place the chicken on the medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes with the lid/cover closed. You want to cook the chicken so the outside is charred and there are clear black grill lines on the flesh from the heat. After the heat-facing side of the chicken is charred well, flip over and cook for an additional 5 minutes on high heat. Reduce the heat to low, close the lid and cook for an additional 8-15 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken) or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

*If you don’t have a grill, you can also char the chicken using the broiler in your oven. Follow the same steps as above in the broiler and then transfer to the oven at 375 degrees F until it reaches 165 degrees F.

Once the chicken is done, remove from heat and let sit for 3-5 minutes before serving. Serve alongside some steamed white rice and a lemon wedge, if desired.

I’ve heard you’re not a true Austinite until you’ve taken photos of your kids in the Blue Bonnets…

Well…I guess I am officially an Austinite now.  Heehee!