Maple Bourbon Bacon Sweet Potato Skins

Name: Maple Bourbon Bacon Sweet Potato Skins
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Taylor Farms Maple Bourbon Bacon Chopped Salad Kit; 3 sweet potatoes; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt; Cracked black pepper; Olive oil

It’s safe to assume you’ve heard of (and probably eaten) potato skins at some point, possibly at a tailgate or a summer backyard get-together. But what about sweet potato skins? Yes, sweet potatoes aren’t only good for pies, fries, and casseroles—their skins are perfectly capable of hosting a wide range of delectable toppings and fillings. You just have to be willing to give it a try. Lucky for you, we’re here to encourage you to do just that.

And wouldn’t you know, sweet potatoes are the ideal vessel for serving the contents of our Maple Bourbon Chopped Salad Kit—with crisp romaine lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, green onion, carrots, smoky bacon, crunchy golden honey almonds, and a sweet maple bourbon vinaigrette—and a few other choice ingredients to ratchet the flavors up even more.

In the end, you’ll have a plate of crisp sweet potato skins filled with a variety of flavors that seem to hit even better in the fall. Who knows, you may even be inspired enough to serve these at Thanksgiving in place of the same old worn-out sweet potato recipes. (Hint: you should.)

Ingredients

1 Taylor Farms Maple Bourbon Bacon Chopped Salad Kit
3 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
Olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Using a fork, prick the sweet potatoes on all sides. Bake directly on the rack until tender, about 50-60 minutes. Allow 10-15 minutes to cool before handling.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half and scrape out flesh from the peel, leaving ¼- ½ thick peel. Brush skins with olive oil and bake for 5-10 minutes or until crispy.
Mix sweet potato fillings with maple syrup, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Place the sweet potato filling back into the skins evenly and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for an additional five minutes or until the cheese is melty.
Prepare Maple Bourbon Bacon Chopped Salad Kit and top potato skins evenly with salad before serving.

Clearing Up Some Pervasive Sweet Potato Disinformation

Let’s give these delightful root vegetables a little more love. A longtime fall favorite, sweet potatoes are not really potatoes; they’re a dicotyledonous plant belonging to the bindweed or morning glory family of herbaceous vines. We know this may be hard to hear for some, but it’s the truth. They’re also not yams, despite the similarities.

Where Did They Come From?

Sweet potatoes are believed to have been initially cultivated in either Central or South America around 5,000 years ago. They eventually made their way to North America, where they had been enjoyed for centuries by the native population before settlers arrived. Today, they are a beloved fall-time favorite but are always perfect any time of the year.

Many consider sweet potatoes to be even healthier than spinach or broccoli thanks to high levels of Vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and dietary fiber. That may be why George Washington was a sweet potato farmer prior to becoming the first U.S. president, but that’s just speculation on our part.

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