Ingredients
4 russet potatoes, scrubbed
6 slices bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475*F. Set rimmed baking sheet inside oven. Prick potatoes all over with fork, place on paper towel, and microwave until tender, 10 to 15 minutes, turning potatoes over after 5 minutes. (I don’t know if my potatoes were particularly huge, or what, but it took them 20-25 minutes in the microwave.)

2. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain bacon in a sieve set over a bowl.  Reserve the bacon fat and pat bacon with paper towels to remove extra grease. 

3. Quarter potatoes lengthwise, let cool 5 minutes, and then scoop out most of flesh (reserve for another use), leaving 1/4-inch layer of potato flesh. Brush exterior of potatoes with reserved bacon fat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes, skin-side down, to preheated baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Combine cheese, cornstarch, half of bacon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Remove potato shells from oven and top with cheese mixture. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer skins to paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with remaining bacon.  Serve with sour cream if desired. 



Comments
This recipe is from the 2009 Cook's Country Annual and baking the skins prior to filling them certainly helped to keep them crisp.  I used lowfat cheese which is why it doesn’t look quite as melty as it should in the picture – lowfat cheese always melts oddly.  These were great and enjoyed by all.  Do be sure to let them cool so you don’t burn yourself with the first bite!

I’m also experimenting with backgrounds in my photographs…