Cheesy Potato Skins

Cheesy Potato Skins

4 large potatoes

2 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tbsp. bacon bits

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

½ cup sour cream

½ cup creamy buffalo ranch dressing

1 tbsp. chives

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Pierce potatoes to allow steam to escape.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes lengthwise into fourths; carefully scoop out pulp, leaving ¼-inch shells. Save potato pulp for another use.

Set oven control to broil. Place potato shells, skin sides down, on cookie sheet or broiler rack. Brush with melted butter.

Broil with tops 4 to 5 inches from heat about 5-7 minutes or until crisp and brown. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, parmesan and bacon bits. Broil about 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Serve hot with sour cream and buffalo ranch dressing.

© Crackerberries 2016

Roast Goose

Roasted Goose

1 -11.23 lb. goose

Kosher salt

Toothpicks

Pepper

Cut wing tips off at second joint. Remove giblets and neck from cavity of bird and rinse with cold water.  Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stuff if desired.

Prick outside of goose all over with (like piercing a crust for baking) the tip of a very sharp knife or an ice pick. Be careful not to pierce the meat.

Tie up the legs and wings tightly.  Pull the long flap of skin over the back of the bird and secure with toothpicks. Salt and pepper the whole bird and place on rack in oven roaster or other large pan.

Preheat oven to 425º.

Add ½ cup water to bottom of pan so the goose grease doesn’t scorch.  Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350º.  Remove most of the goose oil/grease from the roasting pan. (Don’t worry, there will be plenty more for basting.

Baste and cover and return to oven. Baste every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours. Cover with aluminum foil if the breast starts to get too brown. Test the internal temperature.  180º is done.  Remove cover and crisp another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before pulling apart.  Do not try to carve like a turkey.

Serve with your favorite sides.

© Crackerberries 2016

Potato Soup

Fast Potato Soup

½ lb. Applewood smoked bacon

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 pkg. onion soup mix

4 cups water

1 can cream of chicken soup

Cook bacon in Dutch oven.  Remove bacon, leaving drippings in pan. Sauté onions in bacon drippings, scrapping bits off bottom of pan five minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes.  Add potatoes and toss to coat, cooking another couple minutes.  Combine onion soup mix with water and stir into potato mixture.  Cover and simmer medium low for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir in cream of chicken soup.  Pureé half of the mixture and add back into the kettle.  Season with tarragon leaves, celery salt, salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve with your favorite panini sandwich.

© Crackerberries 2016