YIELD Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 large baking potatoes (12 ounces each) 2 large sweet potatoes (12 ounces each), dark flesh preferred 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in half crosswise on a diagonal 2 cups coarsely chopped onions 2/3 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into small pieces 3/4 teaspoon salt, dividedPREPARATION:
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Pierce potatoes with fork in several places. Bake directly on rack 45 minutes or until fork-tender. Reduce oven to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in medium skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp. Remove from heat; transfer bacon to paper towels with slotted spoon.
- Add onions to bacon fat in skillet and cook about 12 minutes over medium-high heat or until golden brown. Remove onions from skillet; set aside. Stir buttermilk into skillet, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add butter, stirring until melted.
- Cut baking potatoes in half lengthwise with serrated knife; carefully scoop out flesh into large bowl. Reserve skins. Add 3/4 of buttermilk mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 cooked onions. Mash with potato masher until smooth.
- Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise with serrated knife and scoop out flesh into medium bowl. Discard skins. Add remaining buttermilk mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining cooked onions. Mash with potato masher until smooth.
- Fill half of each reserved potato skin horizontally, vertically or diagonally with baked potato mixture; fill other half with sweet potato mixture. Top each stuffed potato half with half slice of bacon. Transfer stuffed potatoes to baking sheet; bake 15 minutes or until heated through.