Latvian proverb: A smiling face is half the meal.

Potato- Wikipedia
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Nightshade family. The word may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes were introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago, and have become an integral part of much of the world's cuisine. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat and maize. Long-term storage of potatoes requires specialized care in cold warehouses.
The annual diet of an average global citizen in the first decade of the 21st century included about 33 kg (73 lb) of potato. However, the local importance of potato is extremely variable and rapidly changing. It remains an essential crop in Europe (especially eastern and central Europe), where per capita production is still the highest in the world, but the most rapid expansion over the past few decades has occurred in southern and eastern Asia. China is now the world's largest potato-producing country, and nearly a third of the world's potatoes are harvested in China and India.

Most people eat a baked potato with kosher salt and butter, possible add some sour cream, yes delicious but boring. Now add herbs, cheese, meat, veggies, and you've got a great dinner on your hands. First things first; how to make a baked potato:

How to bake a potato 

Ingredients: 
Potato, preferable russet
Olive Oil
Salt 

Use a russet potato - because it’s starchy and works best for this kind of thing.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Next line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Scrub the potato clean under water, dry it with a towel, then poke a few holes through to the center of it with a fork. Drizzle a little olive oil and salt over the potato

Bake the potato for one hour or until tender. Slice into it, fluff it up inside with a fork, then add butter, salt, and pepper. (See below for step two; TOPPINGS

Add toppings per choice;

Suggestions;

Baked Potato With Ricotta and Tomato  (Some steps will also need to be prepped while your baking the potato)

1 pint cherry tomatoes (Baked whole and option to cut in half after)1 teaspoon and one tablespoon of olive oil plus extra for drizzlingSalt and pepper (dash, as needed)Fresh thyme 1 cup fresh ricotta

Line a baking sheet with foil and toss the tomatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of coarse salt and a dash of black pepper. 15 minutes before the potatoes are done, pop the sheet of tomatoes in there with them and roast them until they start to split.Split the potatoes .Top with ricotta cheese, roasted tomatoes and fresh thyme.

Grilled Vegetables and Sausage Baked Potato (Some steps will also need to be prepped while your baking the potato)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use2 smoked chicken sausage links, sliced (about ¼” – ½” thick)½ red onion (thinly sliced)1 cup crimini mushrooms (sliced)2 cloves garlic, chopped1 small red bell pepper (seeded and thinly sliced)1 small zucchini  (thinly sliced strips)1 small yellow squash (thinly sliced strips)1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, juice slightly drained½ teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill)½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper2 green onions (chopped for garnish)

Begin by prepping the grilled vegetable and chicken sausage filling.

Place a large grill pan over medium-high heat and allow to become very hot; once hot, add the 2 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced chicken sausage and red onions; by using tongs gently toss the sausage with the onions until they begin to brown, for about 2-3 minutes; next, add the sliced mushrooms, and allow those to lightly brown; next, add the garlic, and once the garlic has cooked with a golden brown, add in the red bell pepper, the zucchini and yellow squash strips, and toss all together in the pan allowing for the vegetables to grill/become lightly browned, about 2  minutes; next, add in the diced tomatoes with a little of their juice, the dried dill, and the ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper; toss with the tongs to mix, and cook for about 2 more minutes; turn off the heat, and set aside while you finish baking the potatoes and prepping them for serving.

Once potatoes are baked, remove from oven and allow them to cool slightly; once they’re cool enough to handle, make a length-wise slice into the middle of each baked potato to open it. Next use a fork, gently fluff the inside of the potato; next, add a pinch of salt an pepper to the inside of the fluffed potato, and even an extra drizzle of olive oil, if you wish.

To finish the dish, scoop a generous, over-flowing portion of the grilled vegetable and smoked chicken sausage mixture right into each of the baked potatoes, stuffing the mixture into the baked potato well, and plate; garnish with a sprinkle of chopped green onion.

Bacon bits, cheese and baked potato

Ingredients:
Bacon (2-3 slices) cooked and sliced
Cheddar cheese (shredded, fresh)
Sour Cream (One Scoop, or as desired)
Butter (As desired)
Salt/Pepper (Dash of each)
Green Onions (chopped for garnish)

Place a large pan over medium-heat. Once hot, add bacon slices to cook. 2 minutes on each side,  continuously until fully cooked ( about 2-3 times, I cook until dark brown, as I prefer extra crunch). Once done, place on a plate that has two sheets of paper towels to cool. (It allows for all the grease to drip off).

Slice the cheese, and chop the green onions place to the side.
Once you have pulled the potato out of the oven, add toppings. Preferably layered, butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, cheese, then bacon and green onions. 

Interested in a side? Side salad is the perfect addition.

Side Fresh House Salad
Ingredients:

Lettuce (chopped)
Persian Cucumbers (chopped in quarters)
Cherry Tomatoes (sliced in half)
1/3 red onion (chopped)
Pepper/Salt 

Balsamic Vinaigrette (Dressing)

Add all ingredients in order, toss with tongs and add to plate.

Enjoy!