Perfectly Baked Potatoes

1. Scrub the potatoes. Pat the potatoes dry. Rub with olive oil or butter for a softer potato skin. Pierce each potato several times with a fork to let the steam escape while it's baking.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet or directly onto the oven racks in the middle of the oven. Arrange the potatoes so there's lots of space around each one for the air to circulate.

3. Bake for about 1 hour. Larger potatoes will take longer than smaller potatoes. When a knife easily pierces the potato and the skin is crispy the potato is done.

Fix the Chili

1. Place the meat in a frying pan. Use ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey or a combination of meats. Sprinkle with seasonings such as onion or garlic powder, cumin, ground coriander seeds and for a hint of surprise -- a pinch of cinnamon, mace or allspice. Add in as much cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes as you like, a couple of good pinches usually works. Brown the meat in a frying pan over medium-high heat, then transfer to a pot large enough to hold the rest of the ingredients.

2. Fry your choice of chopped vegetables such as onions, garlic, green peppers, jalapeno peppers or other hot, spicy peppers, carrots and celery until the vegetables are somewhat soft. A ratio of 1/4 as much raw vegetables as you have cooked meat works well. Add to the larger pot.

3. Dump in canned beans with their liquid to the larger pot. Choose from black, garbanzo, red kidney or great white beans. One can of beans for every 3 cans of the meat and vegetable mixture is a good ratio. Cans are often 15 ounces, which is just shy of 2 cups.

4. Add in enough liquid to cover the chili mixture. Use water, beer, vegetable juice, tomato juice or beef broth. Bring the chili up to a boil on high heat then reduce to a simmer on low heat. Cook while the potatoes bake.

Putting It All Together

1. Take the potatoes out of the oven right before you plan to serve them. Wrap in a couple of paper towels and squeeze gently.

2. Cut an X in the top of the bottom from one end to the other and then crosswise.

3. Squeeze the potato gently so it splits apart a bit and forms an indentation in the X.

4. Spoon the chili into the indentation and over the top of the potato.