Beware of exploding potatoes!

This has happened to me before, so it's not a new experience. But I didn't have this blog then and therefore no one to share my wisdom with. Aren't you so lucky that this happened to me again?!

Potatoes explode. If you don't pierce the skin before putting them in the oven, they will eventually explode leaving a crispy skin hanging from the oven rack and bits of potato will cover the bottom of your oven.

I was getting my prep done for supper tonight- thawing the pork chops and chicken, figuring out what other vegetables to have, and baking the potatoes the first time for the twice-baked potatoes. I cleaned the potatoes well and dried them off. Then, I grabbed a fork and pierced each one a several times...or so I thought. I had six small potatoes and I could have sworn that I pierced all six before placing them in the oven. Apparently I missed one, because about 30 minutes later I smelled something burning. I opened the oven door and sure enough, one of my potatoes had burst leaving a crisp skin dangling from the rack while little bits of white and lightly brown flesh were scattered all of the bottom of the oven. I cleaned everything up, pulled the other potatoes out to cool, and then what did I do? I took pictures of the disaster, of course!

The moral of the story (though, I'm sure this is common knowledge): Potatoes, especially farm fresh potatoes or new potatoes, will explode if the skins have not been pierced or vented in some way. Don't let it happen to you!
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Elle's Adventures in Dining Out (or eating in)

Clemson, SC (for the locals)

Little Pigs Bar-B-Q
A casual, quick-service restaurant serving Carolina style, pork BBQ. The chopped pork is flavorful, juicy, and tender and the homemade sauces are the perfect compliment. I prefer their signature mild sauce, which is savory and vinegar-based. They also offer a hot vinegar-based sauce (which is the staff favorite), a South Carolina mustard-based sauce, and a more traditional tomato-based sauce. Oh! And you have to try the apple sticks. You won't regret it.
Price range- $5 to $15
Eat in, carry out, bulk carry out, catering

Greenville, SC
Steak 'n Shake (nation-wide chain)
I know, I know. Yet another chain burger joint. But there's something about the burgers and those teeny, matchstick fries. Not to mention some fond memories I have that involve 15 people on a 3 am burger run in Ohio. I like my steakburger with American cheese and bacon, while my fiance prefers the cheesy cheddar steakburger. Most all of them are delicious and let's not forget the milkshakes. A meal at Steak 'n Shake wouldn't be complete without the "Shake" part.
Price Range- $5 to $10