The Pioneer Woman - Twice Baked Potato Casserole

 Original Link: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a37598987/twice-baked-potato-casserole-recipe/

Ingredients

• 4 lb. medium sized russet potatoes - should yield between 2 1/2 to 3 lbs of mashed baked potatoes. 
• 12 oz. bacon, divided or 16 oz pork sausage (breakfast or regular)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp of crushed minced garlic or garlic paste
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan 
• 3 Tbsp of dried chives

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Prick each potato with a fork 3 to 4 times all over, then place on a sheet pan. Roast for 55 to 70 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pressed. Remove the potatoes from the oven and lower the temperature to 375ºF.

Meanwhile, working in two batches, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until golden and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Let the cooked bacon drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool, crumble or chop into small pieces. If using the pork sausage, cook it up until browned with crispy bits throughout the meat.

In a large bowl, place the melted butter, cream cheese, warm milk, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic and chives. Carefully whisk or blend with beaters the mixture together. It will incorporate into the mashed potatoes better if you do this first. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise, and scrape the flesh out of the skins and into the bowl. Tear or chop up three of the potato skins and add them to the bowl. You can also skip this and use the potato skins for a different purpose later. Use a potato masher or spoon to mash everything together. Fold in the half of the bacon or sausage, half of the cheddar cheese, and parmesan.

Grease a 3-quart (9x13) casserole dish with butter. Transfer the potato mixture to the baking dish. Cover and bake for 35 minutes until the edges are bubbly. Combine the remaining bacon, cheese and panko bread crumbs in to a mixture. Top the casserole with the mixture and bake uncovered until warmed through and lightly golden on top, 20 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes and serve. 

Corn Salsa

At our house, we don't sport. So we don't watch the Superbowl.
But sometimes it matches up with Groundhog Day and we do observe that, haha!
A few years ago we started making "game food" to eat while we watch the movie Groundhog Day. 

This year, we decided to try some new recipes, that ended up worth keeping. And making notes of. 

First up- Corn Salsa! The recipe came from HERE. 

That link will tell you that you need: 
- 2 cups cooked corn, or 3 cobs worth (which can be grilled, or fresh, or frozen)

- 2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced

- 1/2 cup red onion, diced

- 1 scallion, diced

- 1 jalapeno, diced (and seeded for milder flavor)

- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

- juice from one fresh lime

- salt and pepper to taste 

My husband knows how to cook and cannot just follow a recipe without doing his own thing, haha. He started by broiling the frozen corn. He broiled and tossed til the corn started getting a bit of char on it.

He used two limes worth of juice. He also added some olive oil and this Mexican seasoning to it.  

His only complaint was that it was very dry. Maybe next time he won't seed the tomatoes, and just include the whole thing? However, it was well received, so we'll keep the recipe. 

Very easy, just a lot of chopping. 
And we just ate it with tortilla chips.