Ingredients
Method
- Prepare and bake potatoes. Preheat ovento 425F. Thoroughly wash the potatoes (be sure to scrub off any dirt) and prick holes in them with a fork. Rub potatoes with a generous drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until tender. While potatoes are baking, make ranch dip and chill for 30 minutes.
- Assemble potatoes. Cut potatoes in half. Be generous with the butter, the salt and pepper, the ranch dip, the cheddar. If you happen to have some chives lying around, that would be excellent, too, but is certainly not necessary.
Notes
- If you can, choose big russet potatoes with as few eyes and blemishes as you can find. You can cut those off if you need to, though.
- If you still use that fine, pre-ground pepper, I am begging you to stop. Pepper grinders are so cheap and it’s about 2 seconds’ more work for way better flavor.
- DO NOT get ranch dressing mix. It needs to be dip mix. They are not interchangeable. (I learned this the hard way.)
- Baked potatoes will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. You can reheat them in the microwave—how long will highly depend on the size of the potato and the strength of your microwave, so play it by ear. Cutting them open helps it go faster.