My oven preheats to 425F (~220C) while the potatoes are washed
and pierced. When the potatoes go into then oven, the oven gets
set at timed baked for 65 minutes.

I return after 55 minutes to take out plates, a small bowl,
collect condiments and margerine, and chop some green onions.

Wehn the bell rings, the oven is shut off and the potatoes are
placed on plates. Each potato is sliced opened and its contents
are scraped into the bowl where they are mixed with garlic powder,
ground black pepper, bacon crubs, etc. As the contents are put
back ito the potato, margerine is added.

When all is done, the potatoes are microwaved on high for 45
seconds.

It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
What an I not doing?

Dick

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:31:04 -0000, (Dick Adams)
wrote:

>It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?

What are you expecting?

Your attention to detail is quite anal....but you forgot to tell us
what "variety" of potato you are using. That might be the key.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:31:04 -0000, (Dick Adams) wrote:

>It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
>What an I not doing?

What kind of potato? Salt?

Ewww-- margarine??? Try unsalted butter for more natural flavor.

-- Larry

pltrgyst > wrote:
> (Dick Adams) wrote:

>> It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
>> What an I not doing?

> What kind of potato?

They come in a bag marked "Idaho Baking Potatoes"

> Salt?

I use salt rarely

> Ewww-- margarine??? Try unsalted butter for more natural flavor.

That's an idea!

An e-mail suggested I use sour cream instead of margarine.

Dick

Dick Adams wrote:
> My oven preheats to 425F (~220C) while the potatoes are washed
> and pierced. When the potatoes go into then oven, the oven gets
> set at timed baked for 65 minutes.
>
> I return after 55 minutes to take out plates, a small bowl,
> collect condiments and margerine, and chop some green onions.
>
> Wehn the bell rings, the oven is shut off and the potatoes are
> placed on plates. Each potato is sliced opened and its contents
> are scraped into the bowl where they are mixed with garlic powder,
> ground black pepper, bacon crubs, etc. As the contents are put
> back ito the potato, margerine is added.
>
> When all is done, the potatoes are microwaved on high for 45
> seconds.
>
> It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
> What an I not doing?
>
> Dick


Salt, butter, sour cream.

And I'd reheat carefully under the broiler instead of microwaving.

gloria p

In article >,
(Dick Adams) wrote:

> My oven preheats to 425F (~220C) while the potatoes are washed
> and pierced. When the potatoes go into then oven, the oven gets
> set at timed baked for 65 minutes.
>
> I return after 55 minutes to take out plates, a small bowl,
> collect condiments and margerine, and chop some green onions.
>
> Wehn the bell rings, the oven is shut off and the potatoes are
> placed on plates. Each potato is sliced opened and its contents
> are scraped into the bowl where they are mixed with garlic powder,
> ground black pepper, bacon crubs, etc. As the contents are put
> back ito the potato, margerine is added.
>
> When all is done, the potatoes are microwaved on high for 45
> seconds.
>
> It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
> What an I not doing?

I wouldn't bake them by time; I'd stick a fork in 'em and see if they
twitch.

Seriously, a moderate difference in moisture content could make a pretty
large difference in time to "perfectly" done -- which, IMO, has been
reached when the potato "fluffs" when you cut it open and squeeze it.

Isaac

Try using real garlic instead of garlic powder. That stuff is probably
loaded with salt (lucky you rarely use salt!) and yet is likely to contain
little if any garlic. The real stuff is so cheap and good.

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...
> My oven preheats to 425F (~220C) while the potatoes are washed
> and pierced. When the potatoes go into then oven, the oven gets
> set at timed baked for 65 minutes.
>
> I return after 55 minutes to take out plates, a small bowl,
> collect condiments and margerine, and chop some green onions.
>
> Wehn the bell rings, the oven is shut off and the potatoes are
> placed on plates. Each potato is sliced opened and its contents
> are scraped into the bowl where they are mixed with garlic powder,
> ground black pepper, bacon crubs, etc. As the contents are put
> back ito the potato, margerine is added.
>
> When all is done, the potatoes are microwaved on high for 45
> seconds.
>
> It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
> What an I not doing?
>
> Dick

On Thu, 22 Mar 2007 22:08:21 +1100, "Viviane"
> wrote:

>Try using real garlic instead of garlic powder. That stuff is probably
>loaded with salt (lucky you rarely use salt!) and yet is likely to contain
>little if any garlic. The real stuff is so cheap and good.

I kind of like garlic powder in my baked potatoes, though I rarely use
it for anything else. Garlic powder is just made of powdered
garlic--it's garlic salt that's mainly salt.

Another thing I like in my potatoes is cottage cheese. My whole
family actually prefers it to sour cream with our potatoes.

--Rebecca

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message ...
> My oven preheats to 425F (~220C) while the potatoes are washed
> and pierced. When the potatoes go into then oven, the oven gets
> set at timed baked for 65 minutes.
>
> I return after 55 minutes to take out plates, a small bowl,
> collect condiments and margerine, and chop some green onions.
>
> Wehn the bell rings, the oven is shut off and the potatoes are
> placed on plates. Each potato is sliced opened and its contents
> are scraped into the bowl where they are mixed with garlic powder,
> ground black pepper, bacon crubs, etc. As the contents are put
> back ito the potato, margerine is added.
>
> When all is done, the potatoes are microwaved on high for 45
> seconds.
>
> It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
> What an I not doing?
>
> Dick

Hi Dick,

I rub a little butter on the washed and dried potatoes, season the skin lightly with fresh ground pepper and
ground
sea salt. Place in a similarly prepared oven.

I pierce my potatoes when they are about 50% done.

To me it produces a more flaky texture meat and a crispy skin.

David.

On Mar 21, 8:31 am, (Dick Adams) wrote:
> My oven preheats to 425F (~220C) while the potatoes are washed
> and pierced. When the potatoes go into then oven, the oven gets
> set at timed baked for 65 minutes.
>
> I return after 55 minutes to take out plates, a small bowl,
> collect condiments and margerine, and chop some green onions.
>
> Wehn the bell rings, the oven is shut off and the potatoes are
> placed on plates. Each potato is sliced opened and its contents
> are scraped into the bowl where they are mixed with garlic powder,
> ground black pepper, bacon crubs, etc. As the contents are put
> back ito the potato, margerine is added.
>
> When all is done, the potatoes are microwaved on high for 45
> seconds.
>
> It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
> What an I not doing?
>
> Dick

I know this is not what you asking, Dick, but have you ever just had a
baked potato, with a little butter and salt and pepper? You probably
have and don't prefer it, but you are asking for a way to improve your
potato made with the condiments you have chosen in your stuffed
potato.

Here is how I prefer to bake a large russet.
Wash the potato, then instead of stabbing them with a knife to release
the steam, or putting a potato nail in them to make them bake faster
(or more even?), I actually make 3 complete slices in the potato so it
will not be as moist, and it will be a little bit more fluffy. The
difference is similar to mashed potatoes that are very wet, and mashed
potatoes that are fluffy. You can tell that I don't care for
'stuffed potatoes' because they usually are too moist (don't care for
wet mashed potatoes). Which do you like?

After they are cooked to doness, I take them out, slice them
lenthwise, add a little butter for taste, salt & pepper.
Um, Um, Good.

The potatoes are still really, really HOT!, so if you want to mix your
condiments in them, do so at the table. It won't cool the potatoes
off that much.

Potatoes are just as good (or better?) as a potassium replacement for
people who take diuretics for high-blood pressure.

Dee Dee





Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, and then the rest of the time at 375.

Use sour cream AND butter.


Dick Adams wrote:
> pltrgyst > wrote:
>
(Dick Adams) wrote:
>
>
>>>It just ain't as good as it could be. What am I missing?
>>>What an I not doing?
>
>
>>What kind of potato?
>
>
> They come in a bag marked "Idaho Baking Potatoes"
>
>
>>Salt?
>
>
> I use salt rarely
>
>
>>Ewww-- margarine??? Try unsalted butter for more natural flavor.
>
>
> That's an idea!
>
> An e-mail suggested I use sour cream instead of margarine.
>
> Dick

You're right. Garlic powder does not have any salt. Garlic salt does.
Two different animals.

l, not -l wrote:

> On 22-Mar-2007, "Viviane" > wrote:
>
>
>>Try using real garlic instead of garlic powder. That stuff is probably
>>loaded with salt (lucky you rarely use salt!) and yet is likely to contain
>>
>>little if any garlic. The real stuff is so cheap and good.
>
>
> Obviously, I can't speak for the garlic powder you find; but, around here,
> garlic powder does not contain ANY salt. It is simply powdered, dried
> garlic, with a small amount of anti-clumping agent added. Perhaps you were
> thinking of garlic salt, which is mostly salt.
>
> Though I disagree about the sodium content of garlic powder, I
> whole-heartedly agree that fresh (real) garlic is much better for most uses.
> I do keep garlic powder on hand for occasional use; but, I almost always
> use fresh garlic. The rare occasions I use garlic powder, it is usually in
> cooked foods that just don't quite have enough garlic kick.

Nothing beats boiling them first then once their soft enough for you
to be able to stick a fork into them, then baking them. Yum.
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