When I was a kid growing up, my dad was the ultimate life hacker. If there was a way to do something more easily, he could figure it out. After my aunt wowed us with twice-baked potatoes for the first time (yeah, this was decades ago), he instantly converted it to a casserole recipe to keep the prep and fuss to a minimum. The taste is so worth cooking these potatoes twice – but hollowing out baked potatoes to make it happen is just a pain in the you-know-what.
This is… um, not a healthy recipe. But it is gluten free! So since Kevin had to cut out gluten, I’ve been making it more often. I haven’t shared it before today for 2 reasons – first, I just toss stuff in. I had to actually measure my ingredients, haha. And second, trying to get a photo while everyone is hovering around the pan is difficult. Kevin calls these “the crack potatoes”. They’re kind of addictive. Ahem. But it’s a great splurge on special occasions.
- 5 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped
- 2 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. minced onion
- 1½ tsp. seasoned salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- butter and/or milk to taste
- Boil potatoes for 15 minutes and drain. Cook and chop your bacon.
- Preheat oven to 350F, and mash with sour cream, minced onion, salt, and pepper. If you normally add butter and/or milk to your mashed potatoes, you may do so but I typically don't with the cheese and sour cream included.
- Separate 1 c. cheddar and stir it into mashed potatoes. Reserve 1 c. for topping.
- Spoon potatoes into a 9x13 glass pan. Top with bacon and remaining 1 c. of cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and cheese melts. Do not allow cheese to brown.
Do you have any great recipe hacks, or favorite casseroles? I love keeping it easy!
Looks so delicious! Pinned!