Serve Baked Potatoes Like A Pro

     Potatoes are a great comfort food and one of the most popular vegetables as a side dish. Of the many ways potatoes can be enjoyed, baked is a favorite especially when eating out. It's the perfect excuse to enjoy the butter and sour cream most of us use as toppings.Usually restaurants serve them on your plate in the foil they were baked in with the steaming centers puffed out. Here's an easy way to do serve them this way at home.

• You'll need pot holders or oven mitts as the foil will be very hot. 
• Place the foil wrapped potato seem side down
• Take a knife and cut a cross into the potato
• Flip it over so that the cross cut in now on the bottom
• Using your fist or the palm of your hand, give it a sharp hit so that the whole thing smashes a bit
• .Flip it over again and place your fingers on both ends as if you were going to pick it up, and squeeze toward the center
• The wonderful steaming potato should come puffed out as if you had mashed it

     Not only will your potato look better, but the foil will help keep it hot so the butter/margarine can melt and the toppings will spread into the potato rather than just sit on top.