A couple months ago, while trying to develop some easy, fairly-healthy meal options that also allowed me to keep the oven on for an hour in an effort to ward off Midwestern winter, I made baked potatoes for dinner one night. Not as a side, but as the whole damn meal. And you know what It was AMAZING. Why was this not part of my regular meal routine It is now, by the way: I’ve repeated this tasty dinner several times since the inaugural attempt, and I’ve learned a lot about baking a delightful potato in the meantime.

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Scrub as many Russet potatoes as you want to bake and pat dry. Russets make the best baking potatoes because of their low moisture content. Those light and fluffy insides can’t be light and fluffy if they are full of water, like Yukon Gold or a red potato. Use yellow and red for mashed potatoes, use russets for baking and french fries.

Also, you may notice that I’m baking six potatoes, WAY more than two people need to eat for dinner. I’ve found that I love using leftover baked potatoes later in the week, either reheated just as they are, or chopped into coins and pan-fried (recipe coming later), or even cubed and transformed into home fries. It’s a great way to consolidate the work of multiple meals into one evening of cooking.

2. Pierce each potato with a fork 6-8 times to allow steam to escape as the potatoes bake.

3. Lightly rub all potatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with flaky or coarse salt on all sides. This will help the jacket stay crispy and flavorful. We’re not going to wrap them in foil, as that would create a soft and soggy jacket.

4. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack. You can also place them on a baking sheet if you prefer, though you might lose some of the crunchiness of the skin on the bottom of the potato. I love that crunchiness, so I put them right on the racks.

5. Bake for 55-65 minutes. While the potatoes bake, you can prepare your toppings or any other components of dinner you have in mind. Or just sit on the couch and wait for them do finish, your call!

6. Remove potatoes from the oven. Potatoes should be somewhat springy when you squeeze them and a fork should pierce them without resistance. Larger potatoes or a large quantity of potatoes may take longer to bake.

7. Add toppings as you like, and enjoy! My favorite combo of late is thick-cut bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions. Chili is divine. I also love them with simply butter, salt, and pepper.

How do you dress up your potatoes?

When I started this blog, I knew that a huge part of the story would reflect my growth and learning in the kitchen, through successes and failures. I’ve learned, sometimes through trial and major error, to make pie crust, homemade cheese, fresh yogurt, beef jerky, canned tomato sauce… the list goes on and on.

And I’ve loved sharing these stories with you. But every once in a while, I am reminded that not everyone is learning the same things at the same time that I am. On one of my earliest posts, someone asked for clarification on how to separate an egg. Other readers have asked for advice topics ranging from tempering chocolate to selecting produce, from substituting ingredients to finding equivalents in other countries.

I don’t profess to be a master of all kitchen knowledge, but in a lifetime of baking and cooking, I’ve picked up quite a few tips and tricks that I now take for granted when I step into the kitchen to start a project. Why should I keep them all to myself?

So without further ado, I am pleased to introduce How To’sdays! Each How To’sday post (which I’ll publish only on Tuesdays, for obvious puntabulous reasons) will be just what it sounds like: a How-To tutorial of some little kitchen tip that may make your life easier, more delicious, or more manageable.

Some upcoming topics, just to whet your appetites, include:

How to Fake a Pizza Stone
How to Bake Flat, Level Cakes that Come Cleanly Out of the Pan
How to Cook Bacon Without Burning the Crap Out of It
How to Substitute with Whatever Dairy You Have On Hand
How to Cook Rice in a Regular Pot You Already Own
How to Store Fresh Herbs

And more! And of you, dear readers, I now ask YOUR advice: What do you want to see on How To’sdays What are some of the tricks you have that you think should be shared with the world What do you want to research but don’t have time for so you’re totally willing to let me do it and publish it for all the land to learn As far as I am concerned, no topic is too basic, so don’t be shy! Chances are that if you are wondering how to do something, someone else is too.

I’m excited to test out this new adventure. I believe successful kitcheneering is not about having the top-of-the-line equipment or the most expensive ingredients or the biggest box of recipes. In some cases, it comes down to basics, to experience, and to word-of-mouth shortcuts that will save you time and energy on all your cooking endeavors. And that’s what How To’sday is all about!

Let’s learn stuff!