SG's Chili Cheese Potato Skins

Would you believe that I have never posted a ground beef recipe on this blog?

Nevah.

Out of the hundred and some recipes filling up the archives, not-a-one of them contains ground beef.

I don't know what it is with me and ground beef. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I don't like it on most days.

I LOVE a big, fat, juicy burger. About three times a year. But, the rest of the time, I use Italian sausage in my spaghetti sauce, lasagna, etc. - and just never buy ground beef.

When we were at my in-law's over Thanksgiving, Mom made the boys tacos while I snuck off for dinner with my college friends.

My boys LOVED them. I had never made tacos for them before, and they loved having "boats" for dinner.

When we got home from our trip, the ONLY thing the boys wanted me to buy at the grocery store was "boats".

Please, please, please, Momma, can we have boats for dinner? Pleeeeeease.

So, we had "boats". Tacos - good ol' Ortega.

Because it was on sale in larger packages, I made a full two pounds of taco meat, but we only ate half for our taco night.

So, with the leftover taco meat, I created this little recipe.

SG's Chili Cheese Potato Skins.

I made my traditional SG's Potato Skins recipe, but gave them a Mexican twist. I piled up our leftover taco meat and a ton of cheese.

WHOA, baby. I loved these. Ground beef and all.

You could use ground turkey instead of beef, leftover chili, Date Night Fajita Nacho chicken, black beans, refried beans - you can create any kind of Mexican potato skin you like. Then serve them with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

They're filling.
Inexpensive.
My kids loved 'em.

And, they're perfect party food.

Here's to my first ground beef recipe.

It only took me 2 1/2 years to post one.

SG's Chili Cheese Potato Skins

3 pounds of baking potatoes
1 pound taco meat, or chili
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican Blend cheese
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and scrub 3 pounds of small/medium baking potatoes. Place on baking sheet and pierce each potato several times with a fork. Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour.

Once potatoes are finished, allow them to cool slightly. Then, cut potatoes in half and arrange back on baking sheet. Scoop out a small amount of the potato filling from each potato half and place in small bowl. Save filling for other use. (I use this filling to make Cheesy Mashed Potato Bake later in the week.)

Brush melted butter onto both sides of each potato half (including skin side) and sprinkle with salt. Bake in 425 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove potato skins from oven.

Top potato skins with taco meat or chili (or black bean or refried beans or grilled Mexican-style chicken). Add generous amounts of cheese on top. Return the potato skins to the oven for 5 minutes - or until cheese has completely melted.

Serve with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

Yeah, man. Love these.

If you've got a good ground beef recipe, I'd love to hear it.

Share it.
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Show me the way.