Monday, August 8, 2011

Make Loaded Baked Potatoes







A loaded baked potato with steak and salad is a fast, complete meal.


During the week, preparing homemade dinners can seem like a chore. If you are feeling run down after a long day at work, loaded baked potatoes are a good choice for dinner. They require little preparation, and most of the cooking time is unsupervised. While the potato bakes, use the time to prepare a green salad and saute a chicken breast in olive oil. When buying your potatoes, choose either russet or Yukon Gold as these types bake the best.


Instructions


1. Preheat your oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Omit this step if you will microwave your potato.








2. Scrub your potato with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt. Prick your potato two or three times with a fork.


3. Bake directly on the oven rack for approximately one hour. Alternatively, microwave the potato on medium for 20 minutes. Whatever your cooking method, turn the potato twice as it cooks.


4. Arrange your toppings: butter, sour cream, bacon bits, chopped chives and grated cheese. If preparing for a group of people, arrange each topping in a separate serving dish. Provide a serving utensil for each topping.


5. Remove the potato from the oven and slice it open with a knife.


6. Top your potato. Although the order of the toppings is a matter of individual preference, add the butter first so that it melts completely onto the actual potato.

Tags: your potato, each topping, loaded baked, potato with