Tex-Mex Huevos en Papas

This recipe and post has been sponsored by Lone Star Eggs. All opinions are my own.

These Tex-Mex Huevos en Papas are my kind of comfort...Texas comfort food, y'all.

This recipe was inspired by my absolutely favorite Tex-Mex restaurant out in Abilene, Texas. I went to college in Abilene, met my husband there, and worked there for awhile, too. That part of Texas holds a special place in my heart. Central Texas will always be home (once an Austinite, always...). But living in west Texas, as well as the panhandle, gave me an entirely new appreciation for this great state of ours.  

I'm pretty open about how much I love my state. I'm a born and raised Texan through and through. And if you're from this state, you get it. There's a deep pride that just swells within each one of us (as I'm sure is true of every state and its inhabitants). But, I always have thought Texas is, indeed, where it's at (cue Beck). I lived in Austin until I was eighteen and headed out to Abilene for college. 

Texas is pretty enormous. And while I had traveled a lot in the US and south and north Texas, by the time I was 18, Abilene was still unfamiliar to me. And out in west Texas, it's a lot different than my hometown. At first, I really struggled with this. Where are the trees? Why is it so windy? What's with all the flatness? It just felt...not home. About three months later, I realized I'd grown to love west Texas in all its charm, too. Completely different than Austin...but dare I say...friendlier? People out west are super kind and welcoming. You wave on the road to other drivers. You talk to strangers in the grocery store. And you walk around with the smile (even if your hair is blowing all over the ding dang place with the insane wind). It was an awesome place to attend college. And I loved it so much that after graduation, I stuck around a few more years, too. 

My favorite restaurant in Abilene is one that everyone loved...a Mexican food embassy, as it was called (if you're from those parts, you know where I'm talking about). I grew to love their papas...or potatoes. It was wild to me to have these spicy mashed potatoes with a Mexican dish, but so delicious at the same time. While dating my husband, he took me there and ordered his papas with a fried egg. What on earth? 

And thus, my love of Mexican potatoes with eggs were born. Amazingness.

I've created a similar dish at home, too. It's kind of a cross between a deviled egg and a twice baked potato. But the potato filling tastes exactly like the papas from west Texas. Tex-Mex Huevos en Papas, y'all. Ay-yi-yi.

I used Lone Star Eggs for this one. These eggs speak my love language...which is Texan. They're laid by Texans. For Texans. I love how large the eggs were, so they worked perfectly for this. You can pick some up at a Walmart Super Center

The key to these is to keep a good "wall" for them once you scoop out the potato flesh. Don't get too overly scoopy. 

You'll add some of your potato mixture back in, but be sure to make a large well for your egg.

Tex-Mex Huevos en Papas

(serves six)

Click here for printable recipe.

This is one of those recipes that's very easily customizable. Make as many as you need. Bump up (or back) the spices to your taste, as well. I've made mine a bit healthier, but you can also add more cheeses and other goodies that suit your taste.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (can add more or omit to your taste)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (can use sour cream)
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (can adjust to your taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin (can adjust to your taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork, allover. Wrap in foil and bake for an hour. Allow to cool until you can comfortably handle them. 

While potatoes are baking, mix together tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. 

Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until translucent, just starting to turn brown on onion edges (I like the onion a little overdone...it adds a nice flavor to the potatoes).

Slice each potato in half, the long way. Carefully scoop out potato flesh into a large bowl, allowing a solid "potato wall" to remain in place around the edges and bottoms of each potato.

To the potato flesh, add sautéed onion, Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese shreds, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, and salt. I like to use my handheld electric mixer to combine this mixture together. 

Add about 1/4 cup of potato mixture to each potato skin, leaving a well in the middle for the egg. You will have extra potato mixture...I'm sure you'll think of something to do with it (it's delicious on its own).

Place potatoes on cookie sheet and crack an egg into each well of each potato. 

Place cookie sheet back into 400 degree oven and back for another 15-20 minutes, depending on how well done you like your eggs (you can even go a bit longer, if you prefer).

Sprinkle tomato mixture all over potatoes and serve.

Click here for printable recipe.

The above photo is my absolute fave. I broke the yolk and it just came oozing out...hello, delicious. If you've ever had a Tex-Mex dish with a friend egg, you know what kind of awesome I'm speaking of here. 

Want more Texas egg inspiration? Be sure to head over to the Lone Star Eggs Facebook page here. You can register for your chance to win eggs for a year.

Neglect your chores like me and don't miss a thing:

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