Like:

• Sliced sweet potatoes
• Cauliflower steaks
• Sliced zucchini
• Shish kebabs
• Basically any roasted veggies – just toss and bake
• Chicken (my guy’s fave)
• Steak
• Burgers
• And even tofu!

This versatile dry rub recipe starts with a good dose of brown sugar. Then it’s loaded up with smoky spices like smoked paprika, chili powder mix, and dried chipotle chile. Then we throw a few more herbs and spice in there for mega flavor goodness. Mega Flavor Goodness – totally an awesome new blog name. But I digress.

Thyme and rosemary. Mustard powder. Even a smidge of ground allspice. Do it!

Just rub it on and grill away. Or sprinkle it over the top of something you’ve already grilled. Or make a marinade with it. This Sweet & Smoky BBQ Dry Rub Mix is your oyster! (Hmm. It would probably be good on oysters, too, if oysters are your thing.)

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Sweet & Smoky BBQ Dry Rub Mix

Use this intensely flavored dry spice rub on everything. Your grilled veggies, meat, and even tofu will never be the same!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 238kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt or other coarse salt or sea salt
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried and crumbled with your hands
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir until combined. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Keeps well for at least a couple of months (I haven’t tried any longer!)

To use:

• On veggies: Brush with a little oil first, and then sprinkle on the rub. Using your hands, rub into nooks and crannies. Proceed with grilling.
• On tofu: Press a block of firm tofu for about 1/2 hour to drain excess water. Slice and rub all sides with spice mix. Proceed with grilling or refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to deepen before grilling.
• On chicken, pork, or steak: Sprinkle both sides of prepared meat with 1-2 tablespoons of the mix – or more or less to taste – and use your hands to rub it into nooks, crannies, and sides of meat. (Wash your hands well afterwards!) Proceed with grilling.
• Or sprinkle it on already-grilled veggies, even potatoes or corn-on-the-cob!

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14054mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 1483IU | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Sweet & Smoky BBQ Dry Rub Mix appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

But the reason why I brought it up is a little cheaper than everything I listed above. The guilty truth is, I also love having a food blog because it gives me an excuse. An excuse to make sinful recipes like these salted double dark chocolate cookies.

These rich, ebony little nuggets of pure heaven really have no business being in my kitchen other than if I’m going to wrap them up and give them immediately away. Which, luckily, kind of happened … our friend came over shortly after I made and photographed them, and, thankfully, it was his birthday. I plopped a candle in the top of that pile of cookies you see above, and he blew out the candle (several times, actually – it was one of those annoying relighting candles), we each ate one, and I sent the rest home with him.

But not before I took many ooey, gooey, chocolate-upon-chocolatey photos of these cookies. And, okay fine, I’ll admit it – not before I had already stuffed several in my face (hey, I had to make sure they were blog-worthy), and not before my guy consumed several of his own, simultaneously uttering words of praise and cursing me for bringing such irresistibleness into our lives.

These double dark chocolate cookies have so much cocoa, they’re practically black. Those chips you see there? They’re dark chocolate chips. So you can see just how gloriously rich and jet-black these cookies are. I adore the way a little sprinkle of salt amplifies those wonderful heady chocolate notes, so I added simple coarse kosher salt to the dough itself, plus I dropped a little more on top before baking. You can use a fancier sea salt – I just happened to not have any in the house, and kosher salt worked perfectly.

The only thing I might do differently next time is add a couple of teaspoons of instant espresso powder to really boost the chocolate flavors.

Gosh, more experimenting? I suppose I must. It’s such hell being a food blogger.

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Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

Thick, soft, and unabashedly chocolatey, these deep dark cookies are the best thing to come out of my oven in a long, long time. A little sprinkle of coarse salt gives these ebony gems a sophisticated boost.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened dark cocoa powder I used Hershey's Special Dark
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus about 3 teaspoons more for sprinkling on top
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one until completely blended in, and then the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat on low (or stir by hand) until the ingredients are incorporated. Add the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick.
• Scoop the cookies in approximately 2-tablespoon increments onto an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with silpat. I recommend a cookie scoop for this step - makes life so much easier.
• Bake for about 7 minutes, until the cookies seem set but might still appear underdone (key to a soft, moist cookie). Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

3.2.1753

The post Salted Double Dark Chocolate Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Ready? Here’s how to make baked potatoes!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Baked Potato Ingredients
• How to Make Perfect Baked Potatoes
  • 1. Wash It
  • 2. Rub with Olive Oil & Sprinkle with Salt
  • 3. Prick Your Baked Potato with a Fork
  • 4. Bake!
  • 5. Check for Doneness
  • 6. Slice Open ASAP
• How to Top a Baked Potato
• What to Serve with Baked Potatoes
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Potato Recipes

The Story Behind the Recipe

It took me a while to figure out how to bake perfect potatoes – with amazing baked potatoes as a result.

And I thought perhaps there are others out there who needed to know what I needed to know: How in the heck do I roast the best baked potato?! One that’s crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside?!

I researched questions like:

• What’s the best oven temp?
• How long to bake them?
• Should I make a no foil baked potato or one with foil wrapped around it?

I did a bunch of research and baked up a few test batches, and now I think I’ve got it down!

Baked Potato Ingredients

• Russet potatoes: How to choose the best potatoes for PERFECT baked potatoes? Start with a nice, firm (not soft or spongy) russet potato (sometimes called “Idaho potatoes” or “baking potatoes”) with very few blemishes or eyes. If baking more than one potato, try to select potatoes that are similar in size for even cooking.
• Olive oil – For rubbing on the outside of your potato. That helps to crisp up the skin!
• Salt – Infuses some flavor into the skin so you can enjoy it as much as you enjoy the pillowy potato interior.

How to Make Perfect Baked Potatoes

1. Wash It

Hold the potato under water and scrub well with a vegetable brush to clean the skin. Then blot the skin dry with a towel.

2. Rub with Olive Oil & Sprinkle with Salt

Rub the entire potato with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinch of kosher salt. It’s messy business, but your hands will feel so soft afterwards! Bonus.

3. Prick Your Baked Potato with a Fork

Prick each potato with a fork three or four times to allow steam to escape while baking.

4. Bake!

My favorite temp for cooking baked potatoes is 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This way it cooks through but the skin gets crispy … yummm.

Place potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake at 400 degrees until tender. How long to bake potatoes at 400? Usually 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.

5. Check for Doneness

I test to see if they’re done one of two ways:

1. Inserting a fork into the potato (it’s done if the fork goes in easily) OR
2. Give the potatoes a quick squeeze (they’ll give easily if they’re done).

Some people wonder what the internal temp should be for a baked potato but I don’t think that’s necessary – just stick a fork in it and, er, you’ll know it’s done.

6. Slice Open ASAP

Remove from the oven and, as soon as you can handle them, slice them down the middle. 

Then place your forefingers and thumbs on the bottom corners (as much as potatoes have corners) and squeeze toward the center. This “fluffs” the insides and keeps moisture from getting trapped inside the skin as the potatoes begin to cool.

How to Top a Baked Potato

Baked potatoes are endlessly versatile! You can keep it simple with a pat of butter, some salt and pepper, and maybe a few snipped chives for some green. Or you can load it on – the more toppings the merrier!

Here are some baked potato topping ideas. Choose a few, or arrange them all and you have the perfect array of baked potato toppings for a potato bar!

• Butter or vegan butter
• Sour cream or vegan sour cream
• Bacon bits or tofu bacon
• Guacamole
• Chives
• Scallions
• Salt & pepper
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Your favorite leftover chili (I happen to have a collection of vegetarian chili recipes that are fabulous!)
• Shredded cheddar cheese, parmesan, Monterey Jack, or another fave cheese
• Salsa
• Steamed or roasted broccoli

What to Serve with Baked Potatoes

• Green salad is an excellent side dish for a baked potato. This hearty kale salad or this simple side salad are both great contenders.
• Baked beans are delicious with – or on top of! – baked potatoes!
• A nice green veggie like roasted asparagus or sautéed green beans are great too!

Baked potatoes make the perfect easy and budget-friendly meal – and each baked potato can be customized to individual tastes. Perfect for vegetarians and carnivores living together.

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Oven Baked Potato Recipe (Crispy Outside, Fluffy Inside)

The perfect baked potato. Crispy on the outside, pillowy on the inside. Here are a few key secrets for making it happen!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword baked oven potato, baked potato, baked potato recipe, baked potatoes, oven baked potatoes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 32kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 4 each russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or other coarse salt

Toppings of choice:

• Butter, vegan butter, sour cream, bacon, chives, scallions, salt, black pepper, sauteed mushrooms, chili, grated cheese, salsa, steamed broccoli, you name it!

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Scrub the potato with water and a vegetable brush until well-cleaned. Blot dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
• Rub the entire potato with olive oil, then sprinkle on some kosher salt and rub that all over the potato as well.
• Prick each potato with a fork three or four times. This will allow the steam to escape while baking.
• Place potatoes directly on the oven rack. Bake until potatoes just begin to appear wrinkly and papery on the outside, and when you squeeze the potato, it gives – 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. Another way to test is to insert a fork into the potato (it’s done if the fork goes in easily).
• Remove from the oven and, as soon as you can handle them, slice each potato down the middle. Then place your forefinger and thumbs on the bottom ends and squeeze toward the center. This helps to fluff the insides, and helps keep moisture from getting trapped inside the skin as the potatoes begin to cool.
• Serve warm with butter, sour cream, bacon, chives, scallions, salt, black pepper, sauteed mushrooms, chili, grated cheese, salsa, steamed broccoli, pretty much whatever you want. The perfect meal!

Nutrition

Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 291mg | Sugar: 1g

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is my baked potato still hard after baking?
A: There are a few things to check. First, is it simply because you haven’t cooked it for long enough? Your baked potato may need to bake for a bit longer. Second, make sure your oven is at the correct temperature (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Next did you prick your potato to allow the steam to escape? That’s important. Did you start with russet potatoes? Those are the best potatoes for baking. Keep in mind that larger potatoes take longer to bake than smaller potatoes.

Q: Should I bake potatoes in foil?
A: I strongly recommend against baking potatoes in the oven in foil. This method will not allow the steam to escape, resulting in a soggy potato.

Q: What is the best potato for baked potatoes?
Good old russet potatoes, also known as Idaho baking potatoes, are the best potato for baking.

Q: Can I freeze baked potatoes?
A: You can, but I don’t recommend it. The taste and texture is just not the same.

More Potato Recipes

• Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Baked Red Potato French Fries
• Creamy Vegetarian Potato Soup
• Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
• Best Mashed Potatoes

The post Oven Baked Potatoes (Crispy Outside, Fluffy Inside!) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.