Homemade Potato Skins

Cheese, bacon, potato. What's not to love? Throw some green onions and a dollop of sour cream and you've got yourself a well rounded meal. Forget about the calories and just eat yourself happy!

I decided to make a double batch of potato skins because I had two dinner parties last weekend. Let me tell you, they got scarfed down in rapid succession. If I concentrate really hard I can still taste the cheesy bacony goodness.

I really don't even think this requires a recipe.. But here's a willy nilly instruction set...

Bake some russet potatoes and let them cool. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the middles, leaving about a 1/4 inch of potato. If you like them skinnier, scrape out more potato. Keep the skins in the fridge until you are ready to use them. If you want to make them ahead, pop them in the freezer in ziplock bags.

Preheat your oven to 400. Line a pan with tinfoil. Place the potatoes upside down, so that the skins are face up. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Bake for about ten minutes until they are quite firm.

Take them out and flip them akin side down and sprinkle your favourite cheese in each one. Don't be skimpy, there is no such thing as too much cheese! FYI: I used a tex mex mix. Next sprinkle them with bacon. It's obviously best if you fry the bacon and crumble it up, but pre-made bacon bits will do the trick.

Put it all back in the oven for ten minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Sprinkle them with chopped green onions and serve with sour cream or greek yogurt!

Christmas Cards

Yesterday, I received my very first Christmas card of the season! I got a heads up that it was coming, but it honestly slipped my mind until I saw it sparkling in my mailbox today. It took all my restraint not to open it right there and then. I even managed to take off my shoes and jacket before ripping it open! Well worth the wait, the message inside made me smile and go Aww (Sorry, not sharing the details)!

Last year was the first time I had ever mailed out Christmas cards. In between baking Christmas cookies and drinking a bottle of wine, I went to town on a large stack of them. I honestly can't recall what I wrote in any of them, but I heard good reviews. Although, I know I made a few faux pas - I mistakenly spelled one person's last name wrong and wrote "Douche Bag" as the addressee on another (my bad!). Every time I receive a card in the mail, I'm ecstatic. I don't get very much mail, other than flyers, the occasional bill and death threat, so getting Addressed Mail with sparkles and lovely messages is a rather fantastic event in my world. That being said, I assume that most other people like getting Christmas cards too. If you think otherwise, please do not burst my bubble - I am sending the damn things out regardless.

Originally, I thought to get super Martha Stewarty and make homemade cards, and then I looked around and realized it would cost me a million dollars and take a billion hours. I struck that idea from the list and am going to buy a set of Already Done, Sparkly, Wonderfully Cheerful Cards from wherever they are on sale. I am going to drink a Winter Ale or two, or maybe some red wine, and hopefully write some nice things to my friends.

If you are lucky you just might see one in your mail box soon:) 

PS, here is a picture of my Christmas tree. I went with pink, purple and blue this year. Everything, including my entire condo, is now covered in sparkles. Tis the Season!