Absolutely Amazing Baked Potatoes Stuffed with Salsa and Cheese

1 to 4 large (8 to 12 ounces each) Russet baking potatoes
For each potato :
2 tablespoons prepared salsa
1 tablespoon shredded cheese, of choice
1 tablespoon light sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
2. Scrub the potato skins, and prick each potato with a fork twice. Bake, uncovered, directly on the oven racks, (no baking pan needed), for 1 hour.
3. Using oven mitts or long tongs, carefully remove potatoes from the oven. To serve immediately, slice the top open and with oven mits squeeze the potato (like a coin purse) to open. Top with salsa, cheese and sour cream, or other toppings of choice. If not eating now, let potatoes rest until cool. For use in future recipes, place potatoes in a zipper-top bag or covered container, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days. (Do not freeze.) To re-warm, split the potatoes and heat for 3 to 4 minutes on high in the microwave. Top with toppings of choice and warm for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

Absolutely Amazing Baked Potatoes Stuffed with Salsa and Cheese

For years, Beverly and I tried to figure out how to duplicate the potatoes at our favorite steakhouse, with the skin a little crunchy, and the middle, moist and fluffy. "Real" baked potatoes, we discovered, need to cook at 475 degrees F. for an hour. Ever since discovering the high heat secret, I practically shout it from the rooftops. I see complete strangers shopping for baking potatoes at the grocery and tell them, “You know for a steak house potato, you need to cook it unwrapped at 475 degrees.”
Oh sure, I’ve gotten plenty of crazy looks, but last week I had a lady come up to me at the grocery and say, “You told me last month how to cook my potatoes and I went home and did exactly like you told me to. They were fantastic! You really should write a cookbook!”
I didn’t mention I had co-authored three cookbooks, but I did tell her how glad I was she liked the potatoes. Then I proceeded to buy a couple potatoes for myself, went home, and baked them just like I’d told her to do. (I always bake extras because they’re easy to warm again for leftovers. With the temperatures outside reaching nearly 100 degrees around here, I just topped my potato with salsa, sour cream and cheese, and poured myself a cool glass of Pinot Grigio. But you really can top these beauties with anything you like. And then there’s my absolute favorite way – serve them alongside an amazing steak.

Absolutely Amazing Baked Potatoes Stuffed with Salsa and Cheese

Approximate Values Per Potato (with sour cream, cheese and salsa) 255 calories (13% from fat), 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 12 mg cholesterol, 7 g protein, 50 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 265 mg sodium

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