mmmmm: loaded baked potato casserole

it's back to school time and, to me, that means easy-to-fix, prep-ahead meals. this loaded baked potato casserole is a family favorite----it is delicious, filling and comforting----*plus* it makes for fantastic left-overs (if you have any). :-)

loaded baked potato casserole

ingredients:

10 large russet baking potatoes (about 7 pounds total)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon country crock
1 cup sour cream

1 cup half and half
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided use)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions, for garnish
2 lbs. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled (divided use)

directions: 
preheat oven to 350 f. pierce potatoes and place on baking pan. bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until very soft. remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. (you can also choose to peel and boil potatoes, if this is easier for you).

when the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half and, using a spoon, scoop the flesh out of the skins and into a large bowl. to the bowl, add 1/2 cup of country crock , the sour cream, cream cheese, half and half, minced garlic, salt, and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth. add half of the bacon, half of the grated cheese, and mix thoroughly.

coat the bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of country crock (it is so easy to spread). place potato mixture in dish, cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate casserole until ready to bake.

when ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 f, remove plastic wrap and bake casserole 35-40 minutes until hot. sprinkle remaining shredded cheese and bacon over casserole and return to oven for about 10 minutes, until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. serve hot,  garnished with chopped green onions, right before serving.

country crock has 0g trans fat per serving, contains no partially hydrogenated oils and no cholesterol. it also has 70% less fat than butter per serving and 30% fewer calories.

visit country country via their pinterest page or their facebook page for more #QuickFixCasseroles.

i was selected for this opportunity as a member of clever girls collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

mmmmm, mondays: country potato casserole

yep, you guessed it...i'm still on a breakfast kick. in fact, when i brought a meal over to a friend's house, i brought breakfast. who doesn't like breakfast for dinner, right?

so, here's a dish that can be used for anything. it's great for a breakfast potato side dish or it can be a side dish for any meal, anytime. it is probably one of my favorite recipes that has come from my husband's side of the family. enjoy!

country potato casserole

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 pt. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped onion (i use frozen onions)

1 (32 oz.) bag frozen has browns - cubed, not shredded

1 cup crushed corn flakes or bread crumbs

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups grated cheddar cheese


melt the 1/2 cup butter and place in a 9 x 13 pan. place 1/2 of the bag of hash browns in the pan. mix soup, sour cream, onions and milk in a bowl. pour half of the mixture over the potatoes. layer with half of the cheese. repeat the layers. spread the crushed corn flakes or bread crumbs over the top and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. bake for one hour at 350 degrees. enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: arroz con pollo

arroz con pollo

arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, is a classic spanish one-pot meal. this casserole is super easy to make and is a favorite in our house. (note: it also freezes really well if you want to make ahead).

ingredients:
1 cup uncooked rice
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
6 (4oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 cup marinara sauce
½ cup red bell pepper, sliced
½ cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded cheese (i sometimes use more. who doesn't love *more* cheese?!) :-)

directions:
spray 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

prepare the rice according to package directions. 


spread the rice over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. 


layer the beans, corn, and chicken over the rice and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. 


set aside. 


in a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients minus the cheese. 


pour the mixture over the chicken. 


sprinkle with cheese.

for dinner tonight... preheat the oven to 350 F. bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 165F.

if you want to make ahead and freeze: before baking, cover the dish with foil. label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking as directed above.

source: dream dinners....life just got easier! by stephanie allen and tina kuna
*this book has over 100 recipes that all freeze well too. it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. enjoy!*

mmmmm, mondays...cheesy baked mashed potatoes

continuing on the thanksgiving theme, i'm going to throw out another recipe to add to your thanksgiving or any day repertoire. my general stance on thanksgiving food is that it's one day where things don't have to be healthy. along those lines, here's a mashed potato dish that has more cheese in it than potatoes. enjoy!

cheesy baked mashed potatoes

6-8 large potatoes, peeled, chopped into cubes, boiled until soft in salted water, mashed

1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened

2 cups sour cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

salt, pepper to taste

2 t. or more of garlic powder and onion powder (or more to taste)

extra grated mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese for topping

crispy bacon, crumbled

once the potatoes have been mashed, mix in the above ingredients with a hand mixer. pour into a large baking dish and cover with extra mozzarella and parmesan cheese. bake at 300 for 30-45 minutes.

this recipe can be made in advance and baked on the day of. if refrigerating overnight, increase your oven temperature to 350 degrees, cover your potatoes for 30 minutes and then uncover for another 30 minutes.

if you don't think there's enough fat in the recipe...go ahead and throw on some crumbled bacon for good measure.

enjoy!