Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! We enjoyed Christmas Eve with Shane’s family at his parents’ house and then hosted dinner for his parents and mine on Christmas Day – lots of good family time and some seriously amazing food. Just the variety of desserts alone, it was insane! Shane was off work yesterday and we gave new meaning to the word lazy, curled up with new cookbooks (me) and Game of Thrones on the Kindle (him). I don’t think we moved from the couch other than to eat, and it was everything we hoped it would be and more 🙂

It’s back to work, and reality, for both of us today but there’s a 4-day weekend on the horizon so tough to be too bummed about it…

We’ll be eating a lot of leftovers for at least the next few days, and one thing I like to do to keep things interesting is switch up our sides. We’re still very much in indulgent holiday mode, so this twice-baked potato casserole will absolutely be on the menu. We made it for the first time right after Thanksgiving, and it’s comfort food to the max! Traditional twice-baked potatoes are good, but having to scoop all the skins out and refill them is fussy so I figure why bother when I can make this low maintenance casserole instead? Mashed potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream – I mean, what more could you ask for? This one is a definite crowd-pleaser!

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
barely adapted from Annie’s Eats

2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
dash cayenne pepper
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
3 scallions, thinly sliced
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp then crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I used a rectangular dish that’s about 11×7 inches).

Add the potatoes to a large saucepan and cover with cold water (don’t forget to salt the water). Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until fork tender then drain. Return the potatoes to the same pot and add the butter, milk, sour cream, Greek yogurt, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Use a hand mixer to beat the potatoes just until all of the ingredients have been incorporated and they’re light and fluffy (do not overbeat). Season to taste. Stir in about 3/4 of the cheese, the scallions, and the crumbled bacon until evenly distributed.

Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared dish. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes warmed through. Garnish with additional scallions and bacon before serving.