Loooook out, world…..I made a pure comfort food…I made a casserole.
There’s nothing more comforting than casserole – ( maybe twice baked potatoes…. Y’all pretty much know by now how I feel about potatoes, but for those who don’t , i can’t imagine my way to the local grocery store or farmers market without picking up a big bag of potatoes ) unless you turn twice baked potatoes into a casserole! Just imagine them being crisp, greasy, cheesy, and bacony. Mmmm… I might be out of control.

Recipes very similar to this, you can find on some of My favorite food blogs: where I get my cooking inspiration from and mostly they come in a mashed potato form, but this version have a unique flavor that comes from a potato being twice-baked, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion – all the goodies we love to indulge in every once in awhile.
The perfect side dish recipe and serves a crowd!

Makes about 7-8 servings.

Ingredients

8 medium russet potatoes, about 4 pounds
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
half pound of bacon slices, cut into bits and fried
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk (if potatoes are too thick)
2 green onions, sliced

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Scrub and pierce potatoes several times with a sharp knife and place on baking pan.
2. Bake potatoes at 350° for about an hour, or until potatoes give when squeezed gently with an oven-mitted hand. Peel and mash potatoes in large bowl with potato masher or back of fork.
3. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, chopped garlic, 1 cup of cheddar cheese and about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat until thoroughly mixed, but don’t mix to the point of gumminess.
4. If the mixture seems really thick, add up to 1/2 cup milk to smooth it out to the consistency of mashed potatoes.
5. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread potato mixture into the prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 325°.
6. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar over casserole and return to oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese melts.
7. Garnish with sliced green onions and fried bacon bits before serving.