Sweet Snack Sunday- Mini Potato Skins & Chex Mix

Even though I was present at all of my high school football games (in the bleachers…with the marching band), I still have zero interest in the game.
 But, what DOES interest me are the snacks everyone is buzzing about.  For this week’s lunch box snack, I made Chex Mix and mini (slightly) healthy potato skins.

This is my first time ever making Chex mix.  I know: welcome to the twenty-first century, Heather.  Thanks to the Chex Mix website, I found the original recipe.  The website says to bake for one hour stirring every fifteen minutes.  When I proudly shared my Chex mix making adventure with my Grandma, she told me, “There are better recipes that don’t involve baking it for an hour.”  Well then, good to know for next time.  It is delicious, but I will definitely be searching out the faster no-bake recipes.

Potato skins are one of my all time favorite snacks.  This mini version is a bit more gourmet and slightly healthier than the appetizer plate I order at TGIFridays.  Diced tomatoes take the place of bacon and olive oil is used instead of butter.  I started with a bag of small potatoes. They are very cute and tiny, and coincidentally, cheaper than regular sized potatoes.

Makes 5 servings with 4 mini potato skins each (enough snacks for five days of lunches)

You will need:

10 mini potatoes

olive oil (in a mister if you have one)

¼ tsp. garlic powder

16 oz. cheese (I chose Gouda… Mmm)

1 Roma tomato

16 oz. sour cream

1 green onion

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Wash your potatoes, stab them repeatedly with a fork and bake them at 400 degrees for 30min.  I set mine right on the oven grate to bake. 

While your potatoes bake, dice your tomato, grate the cheese and cut up the green onion.  Sprinkle the garlic powder into the bowl of grated cheese and toss it until blended. You could also blend several cheeses together.

When the potatoes are fully cooked, give them about ten minutes to cool down.  Otherwise, your fingers will be hurting.  Cut them in half lengthwise and gently scoop out the center with a spoon.  Blend excess potato together with butter and garlic for 2 sides of mashed potatoes to go with dinner tonight.

Mist potato skins with olive oil on both sides then set them on a cookie sheet.  If you don’t have a mister, you can brush or drizzle the oil.  I have also heard that butter flavored cooking spray will work for this.  Bake for 8 minutes then flip and bake for 8 more.  If they don’t look crispy enough, you may want to bake them a minute or two longer.  Fill skins with the cheese mixture, add a dash of salt and pepper and bake for 5 more minutes.  Top with sour cream, tomatoes and green onions.