Baked Potato

Ingredients:

• 2 large russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• seasoning salt
• pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon chives
• 1/2 tablespoon cooked bacon
• 4 tablespoons sour cream

How to Choose Potatoes?

• Choose the skin has a nice even brown tone without a greenish cast.
• Baking-type potatoes such as the Russet potatoes are recommended.
• Choose potatoes with uniform shapes & sizes when baking a large amount of potatoes; they’ll cook more evenly.
• Inspect the potatoes thoroughly to make sure that there aren’t any significant bruises, discolored spots, or sprouts.

Prepare Potatoes for Baking:

• Rinse and scrub each potato under cold running water. Dry each potato thoroughly.
• Pierce each deeply with a fork or sharp knife four times on each side at approx. 1″ intervals. This will allow steam to escape during the baking.
• Rub the potato with olive oil, vegetable oil, or butter over the skins.
• Sprinkle with salt.

Baking Potatoes:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
• Wrap each potato in a single layer of aluminum foil.
• Put the wrapped potatoes directly on the top oven rack.
• 45 minutes at 400 degrees F.

How to know it’s done?

• Potatoes are done if tender when pierced with a fork.
• You can also gently squeezing the middle of the potato.  If it gives in easily to your touch, it’s done.
• If the largest potato still feels a bit crunchy, put them back in for 15 minutes and try again.

Final Step:

• Let potatoes cool for several minutes and then slit across the top with a sharp knife.
• Gently squeeze in each end of the potato towards the middle by using your thumb and index finger.
• In a small bowl, combine chives, bacon bits and sour cream; mix well.
• Spread with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with sour cream and bacon topping.

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