Ingredients
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6 large idaho baking potatoes, scrubbed
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3 tablespoons butter
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1/2 cup diced sweet onion (e.g. Vidalia or Maui)
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1/4 cup diced mild green pepper (e.g. Bell)
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1/4 cup diced ham (Smithfield recommended)
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2/3 cup room temperature cream cheese
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2 tablespoons sour cream
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2/3 cup packed baby spinach leaves
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1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (e.g. Roquefort)
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1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
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1 teaspoon fine sea salt
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1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
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2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
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2/3 cup chopped artichoke heart
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- With a sharp paring knife, make an X-shaped incision on the top of each potato.
- Place potatoes in the oven and bake 1 hour or until tender.
- Remove potatoes from the oven, and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a saute pan oven medium-low heat, melt the butter, add the onion, mild pepper and Jalapenos and cook gently for approximately 4 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Stir in ham and cook an additional minute.
- Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream. Set aside.
- Cut an oval in the top of each cooled potato; remove this portion of skin, and reserve.
- Scoop flesh out of potatoes, leaving a layer of flesh on the bottom and sides to make sure potato holds its shape; set aside.
- Chop the reserved potato skin, and mix with scooped-out potato flesh.
- Stir potato mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add the sauted onion mixture, spinach leaves, artichoke hearts, bleu and parmesan cheeses, salt and pepper to the bowl, and stir until blended, using your hands if necessary.
- Pack potato filling into the reserved skins, mounding filling on top.
- At this point, the potatoes can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Return potatoes to the oven, and bake for about 25 minutes, or slightly longer if using chilled potatoes, until golden bown.