Baked potatoes

American · Plate · 1 hr · Serves 4

A baked potato is the ultimate comfort food—crispy skin, fluffy insides, and ready for whatever toppings you've got in the kitchen. Kids love them, they're filling enough for dinner, and they're hard to mess up. Make a big batch and let everyone load theirs up their own way.

Ingredients

• 4 mediumrusset potatoes
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspcoarse salt
• ½ tspblack pepper
• 4 tbspbutter
• ½ cupsour cream
• 1 cupsharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 6 slicesbacon
• 3 tbspgreen onions, chopped

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. 2

   Scrub potatoes under cold water and pat dry. Poke each one several times with a fork.

3. 3

   Rub all over with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place directly on oven rack with a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drips.

4. 4

   Bake until a fork easily pierces the thickest part, about 50–60 minutes.

   50–60 min

5. 5

   While potatoes bake, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8–10 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

   8–10 min

6. 6

   When potatoes are done, carefully cut each one in half lengthwise. Fluff the insides with a fork.

7. 7

   Top each half with a pat of butter, a dollop of sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon pieces, and green onions. Serve right away.