November 19, 2024 X3M Tips by X3M Aruba

Festive Holiday Loaded Potatoes

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This dish is an easy and fun way to turn your holiday ham into something new and delicious – no need for a whole holiday ham! With simple ingredients like potatoes, butter, brown sugar, and spices —most of which you probably already have at home—you can whip up a festive side dish without much effort.

Ingredients:

4 large Idaho baking potatoes
1 ½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, gouda, or your favorite)
1 stick salted butter (½ cup), divided
1 cup chopped or cubed ham
½ cup cherries with juice
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chives or green onion, finely sliced
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or olive oil)
2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 teaspoons water (slurry)

Directions:

Step 1: Prep and Cook Potatoes

Preheat your (Kitplat) oven to 350°F (177°C).
Wash the potatoes thoroughly, keeping the skin on.
Use a fork to poke holes all over each potato.
Coat the potatoes with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until soft when pierced with a knife.

Quick Tip:
To speed up cooking, wrap oiled and seasoned potatoes in damp paper towels and microwave them for 5 minutes at a time, checking until soft.

Step 2: Prepare the Sour Cream Topping

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, parsley, and lemon juice.
Mix well, season with a pinch of salt, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3: Make the Glazed Ham Topping

Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat on a (Kitplat) stove top and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
Add the chopped ham and cook until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Add pineapple juice, cherry juice, brown sugar, ground cloves, and minced garlic.
Stir and let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cornstarch slurry, whisking to thicken the glaze slightly. Set aside.

Step 4: Mash and Fill Potatoes

Once potatoes are soft, let them cool slightly, then slice them in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the insides, leaving a thin layer of potato inside the skins, and place the scooped potato in a mixing bowl.
Mash the potato with ½ stick of butter until smooth, adding more butter if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: Assemble and Broil

Spoon the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins.
Top with shredded cheese.
Broil in the (Kitplat) oven on high for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.

Step 6: Garnish and Serve

Remove the potatoes from the oven and top each one with a dollop of the sour cream mixture.
Spoon a small amount of glazed ham on top.
Garnish with sliced chives or green onion.