How to make Cheesy Bacon Potato Rounds

Colin Joliat

 

If you’re like me, you regularly mourn the loss of potato skins from almost every menu in America. I’ve got the next best thing in these Loaded Cheesy Potato Rounds though, and they’re stupidly easy to make.

It was a startling revelation that the only place you see potato skins these days is in the form of TGI Fridays chips at 7-11. It’s a damn shame because they’re delicious. The downside was their size though. No one wants to cut one in half, and getting four to a plate isn’t going to get the job done.

That’s where Cheesy Bacon Potato Rounds come into play. You can stack a plate high and each comes equipped with it’s own supply of bacon and cheese so the first is as good as the last.

Colin Joliat

 

Look out! We have a rogue bottle of Cayanne pepper. That actually wasn’t used in this recipe at all; it’s from the Bacon Wrapped Beer Brats earlier this week. I’m sure you could spice up your spud life if you really wanted to though. Who am I to say no?

If you are confused by the tall grinder of greatness in the middle, you obviously haven’t been paying attention. That’s none other than the Sriracha Sea Salt I made last month. I told you it gets put on everything!

Colin Joliat

 

I have a lot of stupid kitchen appliances but lack the one that would have come in handy here – a mandolin. No, not the kind Bone Thugs referred to in “Notorious Thugs,” but the type that can slice things repeatedly the exact same size.

Thankfully I’m not a perfectionist so irregular sized rounds didn’t make much difference to me. It would help for the sake of cooking time, but it’s not the end of the world.

Colin Joliat

 

Much like painting a beer pong table, it’s important to put down a base coat. In this case it’s olive oil, sriracha salt, and pepper.

Colin Joliat

 

Loading a potato isn’t rocket science. Add bacon then cheese then more cheese. This isn’t some fancy restaurant so don’t even think about putting broccoli or some nonsense like that on top.

This is actually where I stopped for the time being. I was making these Cheesy Bacon Potato Rounds for an unfortunate Michigan bowl game party, so I just covered the pan with foil and threw it in the fridge until halftime.

Colin Joliat

 

While they didn’t photograph well because I was unsober by halftime (thanks Michigan) and more concerned about eating than documenting, these things are delicious. There’s plenty of cheese and just enough bacon to not overwhelm in every bite. Making enough for two people is just as easy as making them for 20, which comes in handy if you’ve tricked people into coming over to your house instead of going to a bar.

The original recipe comes from Katerina at Diethood. Of course added more bacon and upgraded the salt, both of which are reflected below.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium sized red potatoes or new potatoes, washed, sliced into thin rounds, about 1/4-inch thick
  • olive oil
  • sriracha sea salt
  • freshly ground peppercorns
  • 6 to 8 strips of bacon, cooked until crisp, crumbled
  • shredded monterey jack cheese
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • sour cream (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, grease lightly with baking spray and set aside.
  3. Put the sliced potatoes in a pot filled with water and bring to a boil; cover and continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until fork tender.
  4. Drain potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels.
  5. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet.
  6. Brush the potatoes with olive oil and season with sriracha sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
  7. Layer the bacon pieces and cheeses on top of each potato slice.
  8. Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  9. Stop yelling at TV momentarily to eat with side of sour cream.
  10. Rue making too few.
  11. Make Bacon Wrapped Beer Brats.

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