Baked Sweet Potato Bar
By Monica
These loaded sweet baked potatoes are a healthy and delicious take on the more common white baked potato. A fun family meal or party buffet.
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes (uniform size for even baking)
- Olive oil
- TOPPING POSSIBILITIES--
- Basics: salt, freshly ground pepper, butter, sour cream (or yogurt)
- Cheese: shredded cheddar/jack, crumbled blue/feta, grated Parmesan; ricotta
- Fresh herbs and seasonings: chopped fresh basil, cilantro, oregano, chives or dill; crushed red pepper;
- Meats: chili, taco meat, fajita chicken or beef, pulled pork, bacon, chopped ham, salami, meatballs, salmon
- Vegetables: chopped scallions or red onions; steamed broccoli, green beans, snow peas, or asparagus; grilled corn; canned beans; chopped fresh tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes; sauteed spinach mushrooms or onions; roasted red peppers; jalapenos; thawed frozen peas; chopped avocado or guacamole; cole slaw
- Sauces & dressings: salsa; barbecue sauce; gravy; alfredo sauce; nacho sauce; blue cheese or ranch salad dressing; marinara sauce - or other red Italian sauce; pesto
- Sweets: brown sugar, honey, maple syrup
- Toasted Nuts: sunflower seeds, pepitas, pecans, almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, peanuts
Directions
--Scrub potatoes under water and dry them off.
--Spray or rub potatoes with oil.
--Use a metal fork to poke a few holes in each potato.
--Put potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until soft.
--If baking potatoes ahead for a party, the hot, baked potatoes can be stored in a cooler for up to 4 hours. Preheat the cooler with hot water before hand; empty and dry it right before adding the hot potatoes.
--When it's time to serve, cut potatoes longways across the top of each potato and squeeze the ends together to open the potato.
--Serve with a variety of toppings.
RECOMMENDED TOPPING COMBINATIONS:
1. Barbecue - cole slaw, pulled pork, and barbecue sauce
2. Asian flavors - sauteed veggies (snow peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts), peanut sauce or soy sauce, chopped peanuts, chopped cilantro
3. Cheesecake - low-fat ricotta cheese, honey or brown sugar, toasted nuts (pecans, almonds, or walnuts) for crunch
4. Sweet Potato Pie - brown sugar or maple syrup, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, pecans
5. Italian - chopped fresh tomatoes, pesto, grated Parmesan, pine nuts
6. Veggie - One or more steamed or sauteed veggies (asparagus, broccoli, spinach), crumbled feta or blue cheese, chopped scallions, freshly ground black pepper
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