Basic Baked Potato

 At some point in life most of us decide that it is time to take on the task of cooking at home.  Maybe we decide that the cost of eating out isn't worth it or maybe we decide that the health benefits are worth the trouble or maybe we just can't find our favorite foods at our local restaurants.  I remember when I decided it was time to save money and eat healthy and that meant tackling this cooking thing that I had spent so long avoiding.  I quickly realized that I knew very little about cooking, I could heat up a can of soup, scramble some eggs, boil pasta and that was pretty much it.  Even seemingly simple tasks like making hard boiled eggs, steaming veggies, and yes, baking potatoes seemed completely daunting to me.  How long did I boil the eggs, how did I know if the veggies were done, I was sure that I would never get even the smallest things right.  Now several years and plenty of experimenting later I sometimes feel confident in the kitchen, I know I can make a few things really well and most other things are at the very least edible.  I have been thinking of my first attempts in the kitchen and for those of you who still find those simple tasks scary I have decided to share my way of doing one of those basic tasks.

You Will Need:

Russet Potato
Olive Oil
Salt
Your favorite baked potato toppings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush your potato clean under cold water, dry off.  Place potato on a baking sheet, cut holes in the top and bottom so it won't explode in your oven.  Drizzle it with olive oil on all sides, sprinkle salt all over the potato, I used sea salt.  Bake for about 45-50 minutes.  When the potato is done baking you will have a deliciously crunchy skin and the inside will be fluffy and soft.  Add all your favorite toppings-butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese, whatever you like and enjoy!

Megan S.