To me, baked potatoes are perfect with almost anything (hamburgers, steak, and pot roast) or even by themselves! Here are a couple of baked potato recipes from the Food Network that I am sure you will enjoy.
Baked Potato with Ring Tum Ditty (from Paula Deen)
For this recipe, you will need four to six baking potatoes, bacon, two small onions, two 15-ounce cans of whole tomatoes, one can of whole kernel corn, dried thyme, shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese, and butter.
To prep for this recipe, you will need to chop the bacon and enough onions to make 2 cups. Drain the tomato juice from the cans of tomatoes, but don’t discard it.
Bake your potatoes as you normally would (in either the oven or microwave). In a medium saucepan, saute 12 ounces of chopped bacon and two cups of chopped onions until the onions are translucent. Drain the bacon fat. Add the tomato juice you saved from the canned tomatoes. Use your fingers to squish the canned tomatoes and add those to the pan. Add the can of corn, a pinch of dried thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Let this simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add 3 cups of cheese and stir until that is melted. Cut your potatoes in half then spoon the mixture over it. You can top with butter if desired.
Cheese Stuffed Baked Potatoes
For this recipe, you will need four large baking potatoes, unsalted butter, sour cream, shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese, and ground black pepper.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Bake the scrubbed potatoes on the rack for about an hour or until done. Remove and lower the oven heat to 400 degree. Cut a slit in the top of each potato. Carefully remove the inside of the potato, trying not to tear the skin. Mash the removed potato in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup of butter, 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1/3 cup of Cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the mixture back into the potato shells. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle any remaining cheese on top and put the potatoes back in the oven to let that melt (about 5 minutes).