TWICE BAKED MAPLE BACON SWEET POTATOES

Twice Baked Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes image

Provided by Trisha Yearwood

Time 1h35m

Yield 4 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 medium sweet potatoes of similar shape
4 strips bacon
3 scallions, chopped, 2 tablespoons reserved for garnish
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 ounces smoked Cheddar, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream, for garnish

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking pan. Bake until a paring knife inserted in the center pierces easily, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Crumble bacon.
Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise. Carefully scoop most of the flesh out into a bowl, leaving enough flesh in the skin so that it holds its shape. Add the bacon, bacon fat, scallions, maple syrup and 1 cup of the cheese to the sweet potato flesh. Stir together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refill the sweet potato shells and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Place the sweet potatoes back in the oven until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Top with the reserved scallions and dollops of sour cream.