I had the family over for supper at the weekend and I baked a quantity of potatoes for us to have with our dinner. I always like to bake extra's because you never know what you are going to find on the inside of a potato.
Sometimes they will be perfectly find and sometimes they will have hollow hearts or black spots, etc. Baking extra potato means that I will have enough for everyone should that be the case. I also love having leftover baked potatoes to cook with.
I had seen this recipe for Perfect Baked Potatoes on Gimme Some Oven last week. I was keen to try out her method. The photograph of her finished baked potatoes looked so good.
It really wasn't all that radically difference from the way I normally bake mine, except that I don't normally butter my potatoes prior to baking or salt them. Normally I just scrub them, prick them all over and then pop them right into the oven and onto the rack.
I have found that doing so always yields a beautiful crisp skin. The skin on hers was not as crisp as the skin on my own, but that is probably the butter softening it.
Anyways, they were good with our traditional toppings of cheddar, sour cream and chives. Nobody was complaining.
Anyways, I found myself with a quantity of leftover baked potatoes to use up and I decided to make this loaded baked potato casserole, which makes for a great side dish, encompassing all of the flavors that we would traditionally associate with baked potatoes.
I can remember years and years ago, my ex husband and I would sometimes go out to dinner at a local steak house. You could order your steak according to your preference and then choose from a number of sides. I always wanted mushrooms, onions and a baked potato. The salad bar was always included for free.
You could have what you wanted on your baked potato. For me that was sour cream, a smattering of cheese, some chopped green onions or chives and some crumbled crisp bacon. I could make a meal of that alone!!!!
This tasty casserole uses all of those traditional potato toppings, and it is a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes. You can leave the skins on if you wish, or you can remove them.
For me, it all depends on what kind of mood I am in and today I was in a skinless potato mood. I have to tell you however, leftovers never tasted so good!
Of course the quantities of this are for two people only, but it is very simple to double or triple the recipe should you wish to serve more.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LOADED BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE FOR TWO
Its amazing what you can come up with by using a few simple ingredients and some leftovers.
- 3 leftover baked russet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds prebaking weight)
- 2 TBS butter
- 1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
- 1 cup (120g) grated strong/sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 4 slices of crisp bacon, crumbled
- 3 spring onions, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
If you don't have leftover baked potatoes to use for this, you can bake some potatoes fresh. Just wash them really well, poke all over with a fork and pop them into a hot oven, right on the oven rack. (400*F/200*C/gas mark 6)
Bake them for about an hour at this temperature at which time they should yield when lightly squeezed. (Put an oven mitt on your hand first!) Set aside until you can comfortably handle them and then peel and cube as per the recipe.
No need to heat them in the microwave as they will already be hot.
You can use low fat or full fat sour cream in this. I don't think it matters which. You could also use plain yogurt, although it may have a tendency to split.
Today I used a combination of chives (as I had some leftover as well) and spring onions, but either one will do, and both are great!
I always have cooked bacon in my freezer. I tend to cook my bacon one pound/package at a time and then freeze it in a tightly closed zip lock baggie so that I have crisp cooked bacon to hand whenever I should need any. It will keep for quite a while, which works out great for me, who lives alone!
HOW TO MAKE LOADED BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE FOR TWO
If you already have baked potatoes to use, this is really quick to make. Easy, easy, easy and incredibly delicious!
Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Spray some baking spray into a small shallow baking dish. (Mine is 7 inches by 11 inches.)
Peel your baked potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Remove and stir in the butter until it melts.
Set aside 2 TBS of the cheese, 1 TBS of the bacon and 2 TBS of the chopped spring onion. Stir the remainder into the warm potatoes along with all of the sour cream. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and cover tightly with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove the foil and garnish with the reserved cheese, bacon and onions.
Serve hot.
I cannot think of anything this would not go with. Steaks, fish, pork, poultry, etc. All would work very well. This tasty side is quick, easy, delicious, and a great repurposing of leftovers!! No waste here!
If the potato is a favorite vegetable for you like it is for me, you might enjoy the following dishes!
CLASSIC POTATO SALAD (SMALL BATCH) - If you have some cooked potatoes on hand, then you have the makings of a potato salad. This small batch version is every bit as delicious as the full sized version! A classic recipe, with plenty of flavor, cubed potato, boiled egg, some crunch from cubed cucumber and not swimming in mayonnaise.
CHEESE AND BROCCOLI STUFFED JACKET POTATOES - This tasty version of a twice baked potato is loaded with rich sharp cheddar cheese and crispy tender bits of broccoli. Its a fabulous way to get in one of your five a day! Its also a great way to get children to eat their veggies!
Yield: 2-3
Loaded Baked Potato Casserole for Two
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
This tasty casserole is a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes. I often find myself baking extra potatoes just to use in it! Its delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 leftover baked russet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds prebaking weight)
- 2 TBS butter
- 1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
- 1 cup (120g) grated strong/sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 4 slices of crisp bacon, crumbled
- 3 spring onions, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Spray some baking spray into a small shallow baking dish. (Mine is 7 inches by 11 inches.)
- Peel your baked potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Remove and stir in the butter until it melts.
- Set aside 2 TBS of the cheese, 1 TBS of the bacon and 2 TBS of the chopped spring onion. Stir the remainder into the warm potatoes along with all of the sour cream. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and cover tightly with foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove the foil and garnish with the reserved cheese, bacon and onions.
- Serve hot.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Oh my, sounds just delicious. I would eat it all on its own, I'm not a meat fan. Someone recently told me the black spots inside jacket potatoes was due to too much fertilizer, not sure if it is true or not. Happy cooking.
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