The plan was to make fajitas tonight.  I had the meat marinating and everything.  But, Shaun had to work late and it’s almost impossible to cook dinner all by myself without really upsetting Lu.  She’s not supposed to cry right now, due to the croup (not that we let her cry all that often) and Mommy in the kitchen would definitely have resulted in a crying Lu.

I thought about what I should make, and remembered that I had some potatoes that needed to be used.

Most people have probably baked a potato but I recently went searching for the best way to bake a potato and I think I’ve found it. 

1. Start with nice sized, well cleaned and dried russet potatoes.

2. Use a paring knife to cut deep slits in the potato. I do 3-4 slits per side.  This allows the steam to escape.

3. Rub the potato with olive oil and then rub with kosher salt.

4. Place potatoes in a preheated 350* oven on the middle shelf. I like to place a casserole dish with some foil in it directly under the potatoes to catch any drippings and help keep my oven clean 🙂 Many people wrap their potatoes in foil to help them cook faster, but this results in a steamed potato that doesn’t have delicious crunchy skin.

5. Bake for about an hour. You’ll know they’re ready when you squeeze them (using a pot holder) and the are nice and squishy.

6. Use a fork to split the potato.

7. Mash up the insides.

8. Add your favorite toppings and ENJOY!

This one had a little cheese (my tummy is already mad), navy beans, greek yogurt, salsa, and Tapatio hot sauce. YOM.