Cooking 101--how do you make.....?

[whatevergirl]

*…a perfect baked potato? Mine are always either a) too dry or b) no flavor Dh and I went out to dinner alone tonight, and just had a salad and baked potatoes at outback…oh my goodness, they are to die for ! How do they make the outside so salty and yummy? And the skin is almost stiff, like a bit of a crunch? My dh said they soak them in salt water?? Or roll them in a certain salt…is it sea salt?

Accompanying the other cooking thread, I thought I’d have a thread where we can ask cooking questions of those who might have all the answers. I grew up learning from my sister that you put the potato in tin foil and bake it…but sorry, it’s too dry!

Look forward to learning from you. *

 

[jmcrae]

Put some butter in the tinfoil before you put the potato in. It melts all over the outside of the potato and makes it soft and tasty.

 

[nordskoven]

Put olive oil on the outside of your washed 'tater, poke a few holes in with a fork to release steam so the skin doesn’t explode, and cook in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes for average 'tater.

 

[shannyk]

Sharon I roll mine in olive oil then sea salt. 400 degree oven right on the rack. One slit down the middle for steam and they come out great. The skin is nice and crunchy and yummy.

 

[whatevergirl]

Put some butter in the tinfoil before you put the potato in. It melts all over the outside of the potato and makes it soft and tasty.

*Ooooohhh! Is that the big mystery? Thanks jmcrae! (so wrapping it in tinfoil works, then?)

Okay, how about twiced baked? (another personal fave that I can’t make right!)*

 

[whatevergirl]

Sharon I roll mine in olive oil then sea salt. 400 degree oven right on the rack. One slit down the middle for steam and they come out great. The skin is nice and crunchy and yummy.

Ok, shanny…so you DON’T use the tinfoil thing.:ehh: I am really thinking that is the problem with mine…they just taste boring, or something. Like outback’s…you wouldn’t even need to put a pat of butter on it for it to taste good. It’s THAT good all by itself. Maybe I should just go to outback when I want one.

 

[jmcrae]

*Ooooohhh! Is that the big mystery? Thanks jmcrae! (so wrapping it in tinfoil works, then?) *

As long as the tinfoil isn’t on inside out - remember, you want to reflect the heat in; not out, so the reflective side should be on the inside.

Okay, how about twiced baked? (another personal fave that I can’t make right!:rolleyes

 

[whatevergirl]

As long as the tinfoil isn’t on inside out - remember, you want to reflect the heat in; not out, so the reflective side should be on the inside.

ah ha! that’s the trick, and I don’t do that. I’m going to try this …I mean, this is a healthy dinner…a salad and a baked potato…with a small pat of margarine …easy and yummy. How long do you cook the potato?

 

[1ke]

I wash my potatoes, pat dry, use a little olive oil and rub sea salt over them, poke with a fork several times and then either:

wrap in foil and bake in the oven at 350 for either 1 hour (small potatoes) or 1.5 hours (large potatoes).

wrap in paper towel and microwave for 11 minutes. Check, if knife doesn’t go clean through, then do 1-2 minutes more at a time until it does.

 

[whatevergirl]

Put olive oil on the outside of your washed 'tater, poke a few holes in with a fork to release steam so the skin doesn’t explode, and cook in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes for average 'tater.

Ok…another poster for no tin foil. Maybe I’ll try both…and have a taste test. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jmcrae]

How long do you cook the potato?

My usual rule of thumb is, “until it smells like something that is good to eat.” In practice, typically about 45 minutes to an hour, at 350.

 

[whatevergirl]

I wash my potatoes, pat dry, use a little olive oil and rub sea salt over them, poke with a fork several times and then either:

wrap in foil and bake in the oven at 350 for either 1 hour (small potatoes) or 1.5 hours (large potatoes).

wrap in paper towel and microwave for 11 minutes. Check, if knife doesn’t go clean through, then do 1-2 minutes more at a time until it does.

I have tried the microwave option, and ugh…it tastes boiled. I like boiled potatoes, but not when I want that baked taste. lol And with a sweet potato, I’d imagine the same applies. Outback makes great sweet potatoes too. *

 

[1ke]

I have tried the microwave option, and ugh…it tastes boiled. I like boiled potatoes, but not when I want that baked taste. lol And with a sweet potato, I’d imagine the same applies. Outback makes great sweet potatoes too. *

Hmmm… don’t know what to tell you. Mine always come out great.

 

[whatevergirl]

Hmmm… don’t know what to tell you. Mine always come out great.

In the microwave? Really? Huh…my dh doesn’t mind them in the microwave. The skin doesn’t taste that crunchy…sort of wilted…you know?

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Ok, shanny…so you DON’T use the tinfoil thing.:ehh: I am really thinking that is the problem with mine…they just taste boring, or something. Like outback’s…you wouldn’t even need to put a pat of butter on it for it to taste good. It’s THAT good all by itself. Maybe I should just go to outback when I want one.

The *Joy of Cooking *is against foil also. She says to rub in oil and then kosher (or sea) salt.

I love a dinner of just baked potatoes. But I serve them with plenty of cheese and sour cream so not so healthy! lol My daughter and I will put broccoli in them but not the boys.

 

[whatevergirl]

The *Joy of Cooking *is against foil also. She says to rub in oil and then kosher (or sea) salt.

I love a dinner of just baked potatoes. But I serve them with plenty of cheese and sour cream so not so healthy! lol My daughter and I will put broccoli in them but not the boys.

Broccoli, why do you want to ruin the potato like that? I loathe broccoli. But, the other toppings sound great. I also enjoy sweet potatoes those are very healthy, especially for women.

 

[whatevergirl]

OKAY…How about donuts? Do you make them homemade, or make them with rollout biscuit dough? I saw Paula Deen’s show yesterday…I was home sick, and she made them…(I think?) using biscuit dough, took a circle and carved out a hole, and then she deep fried them…turning them every so often, as they floated. Oh my goodness…they looked crazy good. My dh said his mom used to make donuts…I admit, I have never made these…have any of you made them?

 

[Ganyssa]

OKAY…How about donuts? Do you make them homemade, or make them with rollout biscuit dough? I saw Paula Deen’s show yesterday…I was home sick, and she made them…(I think?) using biscuit dough, took a circle and carved out a hole, and then she deep fried them…turning them every so often, as they floated. Oh my goodness…they looked crazy good. My dh said his mom used to make donuts…I admit, I have never made these…have any of you made them?

I’ve done this without even bothering to cut out the holes, you just end up with really big donut holes

Deep fry until they look good, then shake in a paper bag with cinnamon and sugar. You can do powdered sugar, too, but you have to wait until they cool off for that, and they taste better hot. I learned to do this in 7th grade Home Ec in Virginia.

 

[1ke]

In the microwave? Really? Huh…my dh doesn’t mind them in the microwave. The skin doesn’t taste that crunchy…sort of wilted…you know?

Well, the best way is in the oven with sea salt, but who has 1.5 hours every time?

So, microwave in a pinch. I still rub it with salt and it tastes fine to me, not boiled. The skin is not crisp, but not wilted. Maybe it’s just me.

 

[whatevergirl]

Well, the best way is in the oven with sea salt, but who has 1.5 hours every time?

So, microwave in a pinch. I still rub it with salt and it tastes fine to me, not boiled. The skin is not crisp, but not wilted. Maybe it’s just me.

*You like wilted potato skin, maybe haha Kidding. Yes, different tastes. My dh likes them that way. *