I am a planner. I make lists. I love to have my day mapped out and then check everything off as it is completed. Today’s plan was to make pork chops and twice baked potatoes for dinner tonight. I love twice baked potatoes. The recipe that I use is one that my son Daniel gave to me. It is his own creation, and we love it. I have an original handwritten version of his recipe in his barely legible handwriting with phrases like, “scoop out the steaming innards.” It is priceless.
Ever since school has been out, my grandson Landon has been my buddy during the day while his parents are at work. So today Landon was here to help me around the house. He often helps me with my cooking projects. To help me get ready to make the twice baked potatoes, he washed the baking potatoes for me.
He scrubbed them clean with a brush. After he had them all washed, he dried them on paper towels then pierced them with a fork.
After they were dried and pierced, we placed the potatoes on a baking sheet.
Then Landon sprayed the potatoes with olive oil. He turned them over and sprayed the other side, too.
Last, Landon generously sprinkled the potatoes with kosher salt. We then put the potatoes in a 375 degree F oven for 1 hour. The length of cooking time for baked potatoes varies depending on the size of the potatoes. Really large potatoes may take longer. Bake them until they are soft.
We went outside to play in the Arkansas heat while the potatoes were baking. Oh, and we had been outside to play before we put the potatoes in to bake, as well. Landon loves to play outside. We turned on the sprinklers today.
I don’t think he even knew it was hot outside.
But by the time the potatoes had finished baking, and it was time to start the rest of the dinner, the parts of me that are usually waggin’ were really draggin’. That’s when my well laid plans were trashed. The heat had zapped my energy. My twice baked potatoes for dinner became once baked potatoes. You know, pork chops and baked potatoes do make an adequate meal.
So, sometime soon I will be making twice baked potatoes. I just need to make a plan.
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