Perfect Baked Potatoes

Baked Potatoes are a simple side dish that just about everyone can make.  I have perfected the process of baking a potato and turning it from simple and average to something special that takes only about 1 minute longer to prepare than your everyday version.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Scrub your potatoes and pat them dry with a towel, then stab them 5 or 6 times with a knife.

Prepare a mixture of sea salt, fresh ground pepper (to taste- if you like a lot of salt and pepper then use to your hearts content, if just a touch will do it for you then a few simple twists of the grinder will be perfect) and  3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese on a plate.

Then rub them with cooking oil or olive oil (use what you have on hand).

Roll a potato in the salt, pepper and parmesan cheese and wrap in foil. Repeat until you have used all of the potatoes you planned to bake.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

Place them on a cookie sheet and allow to bake for 50 to 75 minutes, depending upon the size of the potato. To test them, when you think they are done stab them with a fork. If the potatoes meet no resistance they are ready to serve.

My family loves Baked Potatoes this way, the skin is a little crispier, the seasoning on the exterior adds a little zing to the potato and they look great! I have been complimented many times over my Baked Potatoes and have been told they are better than something you get in a restaurant!

I love to serve these because it is an inexpensive yet healthy option to compliment most any meal, or you can turn these into the main course if you add a little cheese, green onion, sour cream and bacon to the potatoes as toppings.

We will be falling back on this tried and true option for meals many times in the weeks as we adjust to having a new baby. I hope you try it and like it too!



Find more great potato recipes here:

Unique Potato Salad Recipes
Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Potatoes

Saturday #173

Saturday #173 was our final summer Saturday for this year. We got up early and hit the road. We drove up to Port Clinton with the idea of a day at the beach. On the way there Rolfie told us he was hungry (because he wouldn't eat his breakfast at home) so we stopped off and fed him, he loved that we ate outside beside Lake Erie. We went to the spot we had in mind for swimming next only to find  the bacteria levels were unsafe.

We drove on to Catawba Island but we were unsure about the water quality and no one else was at that beach, rather than risk it we continued on in search of a place to swim. We dropped off at the Perch Festival and asked the locals where to go, they pointed us to East Harbor State Park. We found it with no issues.

Rolfie loves the water. He had a great time swimming with us. The beach was perfect for taking children to as the water was clear and not too deep. We spent a few hours there, everyone had fun! I loved seeing my brave little boy jumping and laughing in the small waves.

Rolfie was exhausted when we left, he took a short nap in the car and we stopped by at a Friendly's for dinner. The day in the sun and water helped him work up quite an appetite. He ate all of his cheeseburger and fries, then he ate half of his Daddy's fries, he still had room and ate an entire ice cream sundae. He left full and happy.

We headed home to start preparing for a visit from my mother in law the next day. Rolf dropped off to sleep later than usual, but quite happy. He dreamed of swimming that night, he was laughing and kicking in his sleep.

Now that the weekend has come and gone, I realize that next summer all of our adventures will be different, we will no longer be a little family of 3, we will have a baby along for the fun. A part of me is happy and excited about the change but there is a part of me that feels sad at the last chapters of this story. I have been so content with my son that I am not ready for all of that to change when I am honest with myself.

I have to say that while we really didn't do anything extraordinary other than drive to the Lake, it was the perfect end to our summer. The memories of my son splashing in the waves will hold me over until next summer when we create new summer memories together.

I hope you were able to enjoy your family over the weekend.