Today I’m sharing one of my all time, favorite recipes for entertaining.
It’s a favorite for many reasons. Among them….
It’s delicious.
It’s super easy.
It can be made ahead of time.
It utilizes only fresh ingredients.
A large group can be fed with ease.
Like I said, it is a favorite for entertaining…yet it’s easy enough to make for a weeknight family dinner too. Whether you’re serving two people or twenty, the recipe adapts easily. I normally use 1½ potatoes per person (some people will eat less, but there’s always that one person going back for a third helping!). A standard casserole dish, 9×13, (filled to the brim) can accommodate about 18 potatoes…feeding at least 15 hungry diners.
Potatoes are well loved and eagerly eaten in our household. This Twice Baked Potato does not disappoint. This potato dish extraordinaire starts with oven baked potatoes. The fluffy insides are then seasoned and mashed with cheese. The skins are roughly chopped to line the baking dish. The skins are topped with the mashed potatoes and baked. After removing the dish from the oven, the potatoes are topped with a healthy dose of shredded cheese and crispy bacon. The heat of the potatoes will melt the cheese just right for serving at mealtime. Enjoy!
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
18 medium potatoes (I use russets)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 stick butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 – 1 cup of milk (may use less depending on consistency of potatoes)
8 slices of bacon, fried until crispy and crumbled
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
optional: chopped green onions or chives
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Scrub potatoes and pierce each several times with a fork or sharp knife.
Bake the potatoes (directly on the oven rack) for about an hour. Fully cooked potatoes will give slightly when squeezed (use an oven mitt – they’ll be hot).
If baking completed dish immediately after prep, reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Cool potatoes slightly, until able to handle. Spritz a baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Cut each potato in half. Scoop out the insides and place in a large mixing bowl. Set the skins aside.
Using an electric mixer, stir (mix on low) slightly until potatoes are broken down a bit, incorporating about 1/2 cup of milk. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Add additional milk (a tablespoon or so at a time) if potato mixture is too thick.
Roughly chop about 1/2 of the potato skins and place in the prepared baking dish. Using a large spoon, place the potato mixture on top of the skins. Smooth and level the potatoes. Cover with foil.
At this point, the potatoes can be baked immediately, or stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours. If refrigerating, allow dish to stand at room temperature about 30 minutes prior to baking and start in a cold oven, set to 325°F. Add about 5 minutes to the bake time below.
Bake about 35 minutes, remove foil and bake about 10 more minutes until the potatoes are completely heated through. Immediately after removing from the oven, top the potatoes with the shredded cheese and crumpled bacon.
Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.
Note: Fewer guests? For every 3 potatoes, use approximately: 1 ounce cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons sour cream, 1 Tablespoon butter, 1/2 clove minced garlic, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1 slice crumbled, cooked bacon.
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So delicious and appetizing dish, Nancy 🙂 I love it. Enjoy the rest of the weekend 😉
Thank you, Linda. 🙂 Hope you have a fun week ahead!
Great way to prepare twice baked potatoes. I’m seriously thinking of making this for breakfast tomorrow morning. I’d have to use greek yogurt instead of sour cream though (that’s what I have on hand). What do you think? Yum.
Thanks, Seana! Go for it! As far as I’m concerned, Greek yogurt and sour cream are interchangeable. I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this one!
Thanks! It has always been eaten enthusiastically in my house. 🙂
This looks insanely good! I just know I could not be trusted with any left overs!
🙂 Thank you! Leftovers??? Don’t count on having those. 😉
Hi Nancy, love what you did to these potatoes, they look delicious!
Thank you, Cheri! All of their deliciousness was thoroughly enjoyed!
oh but that looks lovely! Have always loved twice baked and this is taking it over the top 🙂
Thank you, Liz! 🙂 It’s an easier preparation of the classic we love so much.
Nancy this is just perfect for entertaining, I love it for the same reasons you outlined. Delicious homey comforting potatoes.
Aww, thank you Suzanne! I’ve served this with everything from prime rib to BBQd chicken…it goes with everything…and it goes fast!
This sounds heavenly! And so much easier than making those individual ones!
Thanks. Soooo much easier…and none of the taste is sacrificed!
This post is making me really hungry!😊
Hah – I did my job then! 😉
I’ve never seen a dish quite like this and I love it! It looks very yummy 🙂
Thanks, Trixpin…I’ll definitely make this many more times over the next month or so for holiday entertaining. 🙂
This looks so so very tasty and so much easier to serve and eat than the individual ones. Love the crunch on top with the skins and bacon! 🙂
Thanks, Ronit. 🙂 The ease of preparation certainly simplifies the dish, without giving up the taste!
Ooooh I love this, Nancy!! Twice baked potatoes are a fav and I’ve never thought about making them into a casserole! Great idea and wonderful recipe! 🙂
😀 Thank you, Tracy. This recipe certainly keeps everyone coming back for more!
This is my kind of casserole 🙂
😀 Spud lovers unite!
This may make it to my Thanksgiving table! I’ll have to send it over to my mashed potato connoisseur (aka Mr. Brookcook) to check it out! 🙂
Yes, I have one of those persnickety connoisseurs also. If it doesn’t pass his test, create it for the dinner of leftovers instead…just so he knows what he missed for the main event. 😉
I sent your link to my husband at work and it was overwhelmingly approved for our turkey day!! Yay! Looks perfect! 🙂 Thanks
Yay! You’re welcome, Josette…Enjoy. 😀
This was so interesting Nancy, with putting the skins on the bottom, I just love it!!! xoxo
Thank you Amy, the skins even get a bit crispy…so good! I’ve yet to feed this to someone who didn’t like it, so it’s become a “go to” dish. 😀
Love this! My oldest is a mash potato fan. Will make it this weekend for her, inspired by your recipe :).
Thanks, Sonal – I hope it gets your mash potato fan’s stamp of approval. 🙂
It surely would 🙂
It is one of my favorites too Nancy. I can remember when I used to make these potatoes individually, nothing like 16-20 halves in my oven! Your way is so much easier and so good 🙂
You’re right, Judi – this is way, way easier. I used to make the individual ones too. It seems I always tore the skins somehow, creating a mess when stuffing them. In the casserole form, it doesn’t matter!