How To Cook The Perfect Baked Potato…

There is nothing like a delicious hot oven baked potato, and cooking one is as easy as popping it in the oven right? Not exactly.

While cooking baked potatoes is not rocket science, there are a few steps you should take to ensure you make the perfect baked potato every time.

Make sure you are cooking the right potato. Does this really make a difference? In my opinion yes. I have tried to bake several different potatoes and the one that provides the best flavor is the Russet Potato.

You will only need two ingredients to cook a delicious spud: Kosher Salt and Canola Oil. Make sure you use kosher salt and not regular table salt. Kosher salt has large crunchy crystals that really give your potato a unique flavor and texture. If you don’t have canola oil, you can use vegetable or olive oil. That should work fine.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

The first step is to wash the potato with a stiff brush under cold water. You can purchase a vegetable brush at any local home goods store, like Bed Bath and Beyond for instance. They are not expensive at all and very handy to have around.

Once the potato is clean, grab a fork and poke a bunch of deep holes into your potato. This will help moisture escape while the potato is cooking.

Dry the potato and then coat it with oil.

Put a light coating of kosher salt on the potato. I like to gently roll the potato in the salt to make sure it sticks while cooking.

Pop the potato in the preheated oven directly on the oven rack. Place some aluminum foil underneath the potato to catch any drippings.

You will want to bake the potato for about 1 hour or until the skin of the potato feels crisp and the flesh inside is soft.

Here is how to make that fancy cut on the potato that you see in restaurants. Grab a fork and cut a dotted link across the potato from end to end. Then grab both ends at the same time and push together toward one another, and it should pop open. Be careful and watch out for the hot steam!

Enjoy!

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Grilled Blackened Cedar Plank Salmon

The following video is a recipe and instructions for Grilled Blackened Salmon on a Cedar Plank. The Chef in this video mentions a special blackened seasoning that he is using, but you can make your own blend or you can purchase a ready made blend of blackening spices at your supermarket.

Here is the Cedar Plank Blackened Salmon Video:

The cedar plank imparts a subtle but wonderful smoky flavor to the salmon while grilling. After using the cedar plank I will never grill salmon any other way.

Make certain that you soak the cedar plank for at least four hours, or overnight. The soaking will help lessen the chance of the cedar plank catching fire.

There are a variety of different blackening spice mixtures that you can make. Below is only one example:

- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Mix all spices together and store in an air-tight container. You should then store the container in a cool dark place.

Enjoy!

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Cooking Corn on the Grill

Cooking corn on the grill is one of the best methods for preparing this delicious food.

There is nothing more satisfying than fresh sweet summer corn cooked on the grill. Not only is grilled corn on the cob tasty, it is also one of the most affordable side dishes on the face of this earth. It is also very easy to make.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The first step is to remove any leaves from the corn husk and the tough outer layers of the corn husks, saving a few husks to use as twine. Then peel back the remaining corn husks , being careful not to remove the corn husks completely as we will need to have the husks in tact while grilling. The corn husks act as a protective barrier to prevent the corn from being burned and they also allow the corn to steam by keeping water trapped inside. The corn husks also impart a delicious smoky flavor to the corn.

Once you have carefully pulled back the corn husks, remove the silk . The silk is that string like substance that covers the corn. Remove as much of the silk as possible.

Next we are going to soak the corn in cold water. Soaking the corn helps to keep the corn moist while grilling.

Grab yourself a large pot and fill it with water or you can fill your kitchen sink with water. Add the corn and allow it to soak in the water for 30 minutes to an hour. Once the corn has finished soaking, go ahead and shake off any excess water.

Now let’s prepare the grill.

If you are using a gas grill, preheat the grill and get those grates nice and hot. When the grates have become hot, lower your heat to medium to medium high.

If you are using a charcoal grill, light your charcoal and let them burn until your coals are medium-hot.

Prepare the Corn

Gently pull back the husks of the corn and brush with olive oil or butter.

Then, using one of the tougher corn husks that you saved, tie that around the top end of the corn. This will keep the corn sealed while grilling.

Grill It!

Place the corn on the grill and cook , turning occasionally. The cooking time for corn on the cob will be approximately 15-20 minutes.

Once the corn has finished cooking, remove from the grill. Carefully peel back the husks. Use caution, corn will be very hot. Add butter , salt and pepper, or you can try the delicious recipe below:

GRILLED MEXICAN CORN ON THE COB ( ELOTE )

INGREDIENTS:

8 Ears of Corn

1/2 Cup of Mayo

1 Cup of Grated Parmesan or Cotija Cheese

1 Tsp Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp Cumin

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

1 to 2 Limes

In a small bowl combine the mayo and the lime juice.

In another small bowl combine cheese and the spices.

Brush the cooked corn with mayo mixture then sprinkle on the cheese and spice mixture. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

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Eye To Eye With Katie Couric: Want To Be A Chef?

Think you want to be a chef? CBS’ Rita Braver spoke to some industry insiders about what it takes to make it in the kitchen. (CBSNews.com)

Quick & Easy Steak Marinade Recipe

Here is a recipe for a delicious & simple steak marinade. I made this the other day for my wife and it was fantastic. This easy to make steak marinade works exceptionally well with tougher cuts of meat as the acids in this marinade really break down the tough fibers.

This marinade also makes a  wonderful salad dressing.

Well on to the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1/8 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/8 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 Cup Rice Vinegar
1/4 Cup of Sesame Oil
1/8 - 1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar (Depending on how Sweet You Like It)
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
1/8 Tsp of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
The Juice and Zest Of One Lime
1 TBS Of BBQ Sauce
1 TBS Ketchup

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Add your favorite cut of steak to a non reactive container such as glass or food grade plastic.

Pour the steak marinade over the meat. Cover and refrigerate.

The amount of time you marinate the steak depends on the cut of meat. For tougher cuts of meat like London Broil, marinade over night. For tender steaks like rib-eye or t-bone, marinate for an hour or two.

There you have it. I hope you enjoy this delicious and simple steak marinade!

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