Fanned Baked Potatoes

Original Recipe HERE

I had come across this recipe somewhere in my weekly planning, but I didn't save it.  Googling for it after the fact was tricky since my attempts with "potato fans" only brought up information on people who really, really like potatoes.  But eventually I found what I was looking for, which was something more interesting than a traditional baked potato.

I used a silicone tool to brush the melted butter on the potato, and trying to fan the slices out so the butter could seep in between didn't work well at all.  Big mess.  So the seasonings and butter didn't infuse the entire potato like I'd hoped.  However, I think I (1) cut the slices too thick, so they didn't fan as easily, and (2) didn't cut far enough down to the underbelly of the potato.

This recipe is plenty flexible; any favorites seasonings or cheese would work.  I wasn't sure how to serve them, so we just used our own knives to cut all the way through the slices to the bottom, separating each one and spooning our toppings over the lot of them.  All in all, similar to a regular baked potato but with enough of a twist to make it more fun.  That is, if potatoes could ever be called "fun."  Though based on the search results of "potato fans," it seems there are plenty of people out there who do, in fact, find potatoes fun.

Ingredients

2 medium baking potatoes

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning [or seasoning of your choice]

1/2 teaspoon salt [or garlic salt]

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

2 Tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese [optional]

1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese [optional]

Toppings (sour cream, salsa, bacon, sauteed onions, etc.) [optional]

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 425.

(2) With a sharp knife, slice potatoes thinly but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the bottom. Fan potatoes slightly.

(3) Place potatoes in an ungreased 8-in. square baking dish [or baking pan].  Drizzle or brush with melted butter.  Sprinkle with seasoning and salt.

(4) Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheeses if using; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

Kid Participation: None.