Loaded Baked Sweet Potato

1/5/2023

Boots, Chaps and Cowboy Hats
- that pretty much sums up the Davis family Christmas experience of 2022.

My family spent Christmas at the Kay el Bar dude ranch in Arizona and we had the best time. We went on trail rides through the dessert, we shot guns, learned roping skills, rode electric bikes, played horseshoes, watched falcon demonstrations, learned cattle sorting and practiced team penning. 🐎

What a week. I have so many fun stories to share with you about our ranch experience that I can't fit them all into just one post. Consider this your warning that you are about to bombarded with ranch pictures for the next couple of weeks. 😅🤠

I have a lot to tell you about the ranch but I feel like I would not be doing my job as a food blogger if I didn't mention the dining experience at the ranch. The dinner bell was rung at precisely 8:00, 12:30 and 6:00 every day to call all of the hungry cowboys and cowgirls to the dining hall. 🔔

I can honestly say that I was not expecting to be served lemon/dill salmon, grilled chicken, fried turkey, grilled swordfish, sun dried tomato ravioli, hearty salads and beer battered shrimp at a dude ranch.😋 The chef was so talented and he made sure that this pollo pescatarian always had something delicious to eat when the rest of the group was devouring bison sausage, bacon wrapped dates, elk burgers, ribs and steaks.

I'm not sure if it was all the horseback riding or the abundance of delicious food, but I had a ravenous appetite, the entire time that I was at the ranch. There was never any shortage of great food choices in the dining hall. Eggs, potatoes, breakfast meats, oatmeal, yogurt, fresh fruit and toast were staples at breakfast.🍳🥓🥐🥯Pancakes, french toast, waffles and pastries all made appearances as well.🥞🧇 I mean, how could I turn down any of that? 🤣

Potatoes were a part of almost every meal in the ranch dining hall.🥔 And we had them prepared in quite a few different ways. And even though loaded sweet potatoes weren't on the menu - I feel like these would be great cowboy and cowgirl fare. I think you're going to like these potatoes that you can load up with your favorite toppings.

Loaded Baked Sweet Potato
4 medium sized sweet potatoes
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt, or light sour cream
1 tsp taco seasoning
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
a pinch of salt
1-1/3 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup chopped cilantro