Bacon-Cheddar-Jalapeño Hasselback Potato

Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Scrub potato well with stiff-bristled brush, and rinse.

Place two chopsticks or two wooden spoon handles parallel to each other a few inches apart. Place potato, widest side down, between chopsticks. Use sharp knife to cut deep slits, about 1/4-inch apart, crosswise into potato, cutting most of the way down, but not all the way through, using chopsticks as a guide. Brush potato all over with melted butter, making sure to get some butter into cuts; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on cookie sheet.

Bake about 1 hour or until potato is tender throughout. The cuts in the potato should open like an accordion. Sprinkle cheese over potato, making sure some of the cheese gets into each cut. Sprinkle bacon and a few jalapeño slices over top. Bake about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.