It’s Rich’s birthday (my hubby—the one with the REAL mustache), and we’re celebrating at his favorite restaurant tonight—the Texas Roadhouse. He likes it for their unfailingly perfect steaks. I like it for their unfailingly perfect baked potatoes.

Despite the current trend toward low-carb diets, there are a lot of reasons to eat baked potatoes. For instance, they:

• Reduce internal inflammation
• Are packed with choline, an essential nutrient that most people in the United States don’t eat enough of. Current research suggests that choline deficiency may be at least partly to blame for inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
• Aid digestion because they’re high in fiber, which helps both diarrhea and constipation.
• Assist with weight control due to high fiber and large amounts of vitamin B6 (which break down carbohydrates and improve metabolism).
• Helps reduce the risk of heart disease because they’re naturally a low-fat, low-cholesterol food. They're also packed with potassium which also helps to reduce risk of heart disease.
• Beside potassium and vitamin B6, this delicious vegetable is packed with calcium, vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.

But back to the Texas Roadhouse version. I’ve tried and tried to get my home-baked potatoes to duplicate theirs (crispy and salty skin, dry and fluffy insides), but to no avail. Then I found this information online. I apologize for not capturing where I got this. I’ll just say it’s not my brilliance, and to whomever came up with this, I salute you—you’ve made my day!

So, if you, too, would like to create an applause-worthy baked potato, here’s how (and I’m quoting):

The first step is to scrub the potatoes thoroughly. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be shocked to know how many people don’t actually re-wash their veggies after bringing them home from the grocery store. Once well-washed, dry them thoroughly.

Lay out pieces of foil onto a flat surface. The foil should be enough to cover each potato.

Dip each potato in rendered bacon fat and place the potatoes onto each piece of foil and cover in sea salt. (Aw, of course…bacon fat! Bacon fat would make a paper plate taste good!)

Wrap and bake in a 425 degree oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Make it a loaded potato and top it with sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives, bacon (crumbled), and Mrs. Dash original seasoning for a really great baked potato, or eat it as is. Either way, it's delicious!

Follow these steps and you’ll have a baked potato that so closely mimics Texas Roadhouse that you’ll think you’re eating take-out. I’m so glad I found this information. Tonight it’s the Texas Roadhouse, but tomorrow it’s the Osborne House, and this time my baked potatoes will be applause-worthy!