Best Side Essentials Twice Baked Sweet Potato Heaven Recipes

TWICE BAKED MAPLE BACON SWEET POTATOES

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.

TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and rub them with the oil. Bake until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool enough so you can handle them.
• Slice the butter into pats and add to a large bowl. Add the bacon and sour cream.
• Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scrape out the insides into the bowl, being careful not to tear the skins. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed-out skins on a baking sheet.
• Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, chili powder, green onions and some salt and pepper and mash until smooth. Spoon the filling into the potato skins.
• If baking right away, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake until the cheese is melted and the tops are brown, about 15 minutes.
• If cooking later, cover the stuffed potato skins with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted and the tops are brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

SIDE ESSENTIALS: TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATO HEAVEN

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• 3. THE POTATO
• 4. Add a rack to the middle position, and preheat the oven to 400f (205c).
• 5. Wash the sweet potato, and use a paring knife or fork to prick the skin.
• 6. Chef's Note: Pricking the skin of a potato will allow steam to escape; keeping the potato from splitting open during the baking process.
• 7. Brush with a bit of olive oil, and lightly sprinkle with salt.
• 8. Place the potato on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the oven until cooked through, about 20 - 35 minutes; depending on how big your potatoes are.
• 9. Chef's Tip: A potato is cooked through, when a fork or paring knife inserted into the potato goes in without resistance.
• 10. Allow to cool, and then, using a spoon, carefully remove the insides, while leaving the skins intact.
• 11. Mix the sweet potato with the remainder of the ingredients, and add back into the potato skins.
• 12. THE TOPPING
• 13. Add the topping ingredients together.
• 14. Divide between the filled potato skins.
• 15. Return to the preheated oven, and bake for an addition 12 - 15 minutes, or until the tops begin to brown.
• 16. PLATE/PRESENT
• 17. Serve by themselves as a party snack, or as a side at your next dinner party. Enjoy.
• 18. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Scrub the sweet potatoes, then pierce all over with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until fork-tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending upon the size of your potatoes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly.
• While the potatoes bake, cut the cream cheese and butter into a small dice. Let come to room temperature while the potatoes bake (you can also melt the butter if you prefer).
• Once they are cool enough to handle, carefully cut off the top third of the 4 largest sweet potatoes lengthwise so that you have an open sweet potato boat (reserve the 5th, smallest sweet potato). With a spoon, scoop out the potato flesh from the base and transfer it to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Leave a thin inner layer of sweet potato flesh lining the inside of the base so that it holds its shape. Scrape the flesh away from the cut tops and discard the peels or save for compost. Return the bases to the same baking sheet.
• Split the final, smallest sweet potato in half and scoop all of the flesh into the food processor. Discard the peel or use it for compost (the extra sweet potato flesh will allow you to impressively fill up the bases).
• To the food processor, add the Greek yogurt, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cream cheese, and butter. Process until the ingredients are very well blended and the puree is ultra smooth and light, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. (I add a pinch more salt; if you'd like more of a kick, add a bit more cayenne.)
• Generously mound the sweet potato bases with the filling, piling it high (we are going for presentation here!), then sprinkle the pecans evenly over the top.
• Return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the pecans are crisp and the filling is heated through. Enjoy warm.

LOADED TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Prick with a knife and drizzle with olive oil; rub to coat. Space sweet potatoes evenly apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until completely tender, about 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add bacon to a pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until bacon starts to get crispy and the fat turns foamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add green onions and jalapeno; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Let sweet potatoes cool until safe to handle. Leave the oven on. Cut off the top 1/3 of each potato, holding the knife at a 45-degree angle. Scoop out sweet potato flesh from both the top and bottom halves, leaving at least 1/4 inch flesh in the bottoms to make the shells.
• Season the sweet potato flesh with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add 1/2 cup cheese, creme fraiche, and lime juice. Mash with a potato masher. Add the bacon mixture and mix until combined. Spoon filling into the sweet potato shells. Lightly scatter remaining cheese on top.
• Bake until heated through and tops have started to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.