POTATO CHIPS BAKED RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon (if using) until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate or cutting board. Return the pot with just 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the stove. (If there’s not enough fat, supplement with butter to total 3 tablespoons.) If making the soup vegetarian, melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Over medium-low heat, sauté the white parts of the scallions and the garlic until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic. Add the potatoes, milk and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (resist the urge to heat it faster as this can lead to curdling). Once at a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• As soup simmers, prepare the potato skins: Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Working in batches if needed, add the potato peels in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Crumble and set aside.
• Once the potatoes are tender, take the pot off the heat, and purée the mixture with an immersion blender if you’d like a smooth soup. (Mash with a potato masher if you’d like a chunkier soup.)  Stir in the sour cream and cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled bacon, more sour cream and Cheddar and the green parts of the scallions. Top with potato peels (eat any extra as chips, dipped in ketchup and mustard).

Steps:

• Preheat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven. A deep-fry thermometer clipped to the Dutch oven should reach 300 degrees F.
• While the oil heats, line a large mixing bowl with paper towels.
• On a mandoline or with a sharp knife, cut 8 to 10 slices of the potato, widthwise, to about the thickness of a dime. Carefully add the slices 1 at a time to the hot oil. Using a spider, constantly move the slices in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove the chips with the spider, allowing some of the excess oil to drain off. Move the finished chips to the lined bowl and shake to remove additional oil. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain 300 degrees F and continue slicing and frying the potatoes in small batches. When the final batch has finished frying, sprinkle the chips with kosher salt, to taste, and shake the bowl to evenly distribute the salt. Remove the paper towels and serve.