It’s a Potato and Bacon Casserole. Life is good.
This is so easy we can hardly call it a recipe. I’m pretty sure my family will be having this every other week for the rest of our lives for the following reasons:
- Bacon. Of course. And also, cheese.
- We can slather it with Spicy Ranch Dressing, which tastes so good I believe I shall become addicted to it.
- I can make several of these casseroles at once and freeze them for later, making this easy meal even easier.
This “casserole” is basically baked potatoes cut up in a dish with bacon and cheese all over it. I’m sorry that I can’t make it more complicated for all of you who would rather spend many more minutes sauteing, braising, and broiling. This time, you’ll have to get your steeping and zesting fix elsewhere.
Everyone else: I lovingly suggest that you go scrub some potatoes. You’re having this for dinner tonight.
Baked Potato and Bacon Casserole
- 8 medium-sized potatoes (any variety)
- 1 pound bacon
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese
- Sour cream, chives, and/or Spicy Ranch Dressing for topping
- Scrub and bake potatoes by putting them into a covered dish in a 350° oven for 1½ hours.
- In the meantime, cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook thoroughly on the stove-top.
- Cut baked potatoes into chunks, spreading them out into a 9x13" baking dish.
- Sprinkle cooked bacon over the potatoes.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Offer sour cream, chives, and/or Spicy Ranch Dressing to complete this main course. Serve with a salad and another fruit or veggie. It is too easy. Makes 6-8 servings.
To Freeze This Dish:
Make it as directed above. Allow it to cool completely. Cover and label. Put it in the freezer.
To Reheat and Serve This Dish:
This is my favorite trick. Get the casserole out of the freezer. Cover the frozen dish with foil (somebody needs to invent a 9×13 glass cover for my pyrex dishes). Put the frozen casserole into a COLD oven. Turn the oven on to 250° allowing it to heat up along with the casserole. After one hour, turn the oven up to 350° and bake for one more hour or until the casserole is thawed, heated through, and looks like wonderful cheesy deliciousness.
Let us all add this recipe to our “Reasons to Make Extra Baked Potatoes When We’re Making Baked Potatoes Anyway” list.
Switch out the bacon in this casserole for other cooked meats. Switch out the regular potatoes for sweet potatoes. Just whatever you do, try it with the Spicy Ranch Dressing. Ah-mazing.