I love a good baked potato—especially if it’s got crispy skin and a fluffy interior.  And when it comes to baking a potato, nothing beats the traditional method of baking it in the oven.  While they’re easy, microwaved potatoes just don’t cut it.  A good potato requires a bit of time, but it’s totally worth the effort.

1. First things first, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Make sure to rinse and scrub the potato thoroughly.  There’s nothing worse than finding a pocket of dirt in the skin.

2. Rub the potato in olive oil and then sprinkle in salt—I use either sea salt or coarse kosher salt.  Poke the outside a few times with a fork.

3. Place directly on the oven rack and bake for an hour or so—until the inside is nice and soft.

4. Now I’ve got a few options for enjoying your potato:

– For a Spanish-style…