This is a healthy version of one of the greatest inventions of the 1980s: the hollowed-out deep-fried potato skins filled with sour cream, bacon, and cheese that first appeared on the menu at T.G.I. Friday’s in New York City. There are a few differences, though. Here, the potato skin is baked until crisp, not fried, and the fillings are all reduced-fat products. The result is a pretty spectacular loaded potato skin at one-third of the calories and less than one-fourth of the fat of the original.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 medium russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each), scrubbed

　　Nonstick cooking spray

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/2 cups shredded 75% reduced-fat cheddar cheese, such as Cabot

　　1/4 cup real bacon bits, such as Hormel Real Bacon Bits

　　1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, such as Breakstone’s

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 475˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil, and set it aside.

　　

Step 2

Prick the surface of the potatoes several times with a fork. Microwave the potatoes on high until they are completely cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time. Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them. Then cut each potato in half lengthwise, and using a small spoon, scoop out and discard (or reserve for another use) the flesh of the potatoes, leaving a very thin wall of flesh on the skin, less than 1/4 inch thick.

　　

Step 3

Place the potato shells on the prepared baking sheet. Spray them, inside and out, with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake the potato shells until they are golden brown and beginning to crisp, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Divide the cheese among the potato shells. Sprinkle the bacon pieces on top of the cheese, and bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 8 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Serve the potatoes topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.

　　

nutrition information

Step 6

Fat: 39.7g (before), 6.6g (after)

　　

Step 7

Calories: 649 (before), 187 (after)

　　

Step 8

Protein: 18g

　　

Step 9

Carbohydrates: 14g

　　

Step 10

Cholesterol: 24mg

　　

Step 11

Fiber: 2g

　　

Step 12

Sodium: 678mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.