Baked Potato

 My daughter will be going to college this fall. I'm hoping she'll use my blog as a reference as she learns to make meals for herself, hence the basic recipe post. This makes a nice fluffy potato with a crispy skin. We like to eat it with this Broccoli Cheese Soup on top as a sauce, and even with some BBQ Chicken. 

Baked Potato

1 russet potato

1 tsp olive or vegetable oil

Salt and Pepper 

Toppings: butter, sour cream, bacon, chives, scallions, cheese, salsa, chili.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Scrub the potato with water and a vegetable brush until well-cleaned. Blot dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.

3. Rub the entire potato with oil, then sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and rub that in too.

4. Prick potato with a fork three or four times. This will allow the steam to escape while baking.

5. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack. Bake until potatoes just begin to appear wrinkly and papery on the outside, and when you squeeze the potato, it gives - 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. Test for doneness by sticking a fork into the potato (it's done if the fork goes in easily).

6. Remove from the oven and, as soon as you can handle them, slice each potato down the middle. Then place your forefinger and thumbs on the bottom ends and squeeze toward the center. This helps to fluff the insides, and helps keep moisture from getting trapped inside the skin as the potatoes begin to cool.