2 large perfect Idaho baking potatoes
Salad oil
2 Tbsp. butter
½ cup scallions, minced
1½ Tbsp. flour
1 cup hot milk
1 small jar dried beef, 2½ ozs.
Pepper Minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes under cold running water and dry them.

• Rub them with salad oil.

• Prick the potatoes and place them on the middle oven rack for about one hour. (Do not wrap them in aluminum foil; this is what accounts for the sticky, sodden "baked" potatoes still to be found in some bad restaurants.) 

About 10 minutes before the potatoes are done, make the chipped beef.

• Melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan and gently simmer the scallions a couple of minutes.

• Stir in the flour and cook over low heat a minute longer.

• Dump in the hot milk all at once and beat with a wire whisk until the sauce is smooth and thickened.

• Shred the dried beef with a knife and stir it into the cream sauce.

• Add pepper to taste.

Slit an "x" in the top of each potato.

• Then gently press the sides until some of the mealy white inside pops through the "x."

• Divide the creamed chipped beef over the two potatoes and sprinkle with parsley. 

Serve at once with a fresh green salad to offset the richness of this humble main course.