Potatoes-bake the whole bag!

If you're going to wait 45-90 minutes for a couple of potatoes to bake, why not bake a bunch? For a perfect baked potato-Rinse, scrub, and dry the potatoes. Pierce with a fork on all sides to let steam vent out during baking. For a soft skin, rub with olive oil or butter. Bake for 45 minutes as 400, 60 minutes at 350, or 90 minutes at 325. Use them throughout the week in a variety of meals. Here are some of my favorites:

• Potato Bar-Dress it up with butter, sour cream, chili, cheese, onions, green onions, chives, parsley, rosemary, cottage cheese, peppers, green chilies, olives, etc. Use any combination that suits you.
• Potato skins-Cut each potato in 4 wedges. Cut away some of the white insides (eat it or store it for later). Make a mixture of butter, salt, pepper, and rosemary; brush it over the wedges. Grill potatoes, skin side up, uncovered, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and cook 2 more minutes. Top with cheese and put back over heat until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with bacon bits and green onions and serve with sour cream! If you don't want to grill these, you can certainly use your oven or stove top for a similar affect. They are so yummy!
  
• Potato salad-peel and cube up the baked potatoes. Use in any potato salad recipe you like.
• Hash browns-I like to just cube them up and fry them in butter until they're browned and season with salt and pepper. You can also shred them and do the same.