Baked Potato Casserole

Baked Potato Casserole

This is one of those recipes that just never goes to waste. Yesterday I made a double recipe, thinking it would last several days and tonight there is maybe one or two helpings left. When we take it to a potluck dinner or to a gathering, we almost never bring any back home, I am usually given stern instructions to make enough to leave some at home.

All of these ingredients can be adjusted to suit your taste; all we are attempting to do is make a bowl full of loaded bake potatoes.
I first came up with this recipe about 30 years ago as my daughter Aimee would take 15 to 20 minutes mixing her baked potato until it was just the way she wanted it. To top it off we were always throwing some away. It is somewhat funny or interesting how almost no one will eat a left over baked potato, but I always make enough of this that we have leftovers and I never throw any away.

Ingredients

• 4 large baked potatoes (or the equivalent in smaller potatoes)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened butter (margarine could be substituted)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 16 drops of tobacco sauce
• 1/4 - teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 - teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese - divided into two equal parts
• 1 ½ cups crisp fried bacon bits - divided into two equal parts
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions green tops included - divided into two equal parts
• 1/4- teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 - teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Cooking and mixing instructions

While the potatoes are baking
Cook the bacon until crisp. (See special note on cooking the bacon below)
Bake the potatoes until done or just a little shy of done (they will continue to cook while you wait for them to cool enough to peel)
After the potatoes have cooled enough to comfortably handle, peel them.

Combine potatoes, butter, sour cream, ranch dressing, and tobacco sauce, then mix or smash until the consistency of lumpy mashed potatoes.
Add the 3/4 cup of cheese
Add 3/4 cup of bacon bits
Add 1/4 cup of green onions
Add salt and black pepper
Mix or smash until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, do not over mix.
Spread into an 8’ square ovenproof container I use a Corning Ware container
Depending on the size of you potatoes, you may need a larger baking dish.
Top the remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minuets

This is the only way I make bacon bits

I take 1 lb of bacon and cut across the slices into approx ¼ strips. So what I have is approx ¼ wide by approx 1 inch long pieces. Then I place all of the cut bacon into an 8-inch cast-iron skillet and cook it on medium low heat until all of the water renders out of the bacon, stirring every 5-6 minutes. After all of the water has cooked out of the bacon. I then turn up the heat to medium high and cook until crisp. By first cooking all of the water out of the bacon, then turning up the heat your bacon should not pop and splatter, and still come out crisp. I then place a wire strainer over a oven proof container and pour the bacon and grease into the strainer, and let the grease drip through the strainer in the the container. Do not let your bacon sit in the grease. If after your bacon is not crisp put it back into the cast iron skillet and cook for a few more minutes.