Loaded Potato Casserole

I was asked to bring a potato casserole to a scouting function a couple of weeks ago.  When I found this recipe, I knew what I would be bringing.  I doubled the recipe so that I could take one large pan to the meeting and keep one pan home for the family.  We all really loved these potatoes!!

Loaded Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

3 1/2 - 4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked, chopped, divided
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced

Directions:  Place potatoes in saucepan, and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Cook until tender, then drain well.

Preheat oven to 375° degrees F.

Transfer potatoes back to the saucepan. Masher with a potato masher until almost smooth. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, milk, salt and pepper. Continue mashing until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and half the bacon. Spoon mixture evenly into a lightly oiled 3-quart casserole dish. Use a spatula or fork to make an irregular surface (see photo).

Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, bacon and green onions. Bake for 5 more minutes to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This is one recipe I made from my shredded crock pot chicken.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

• 12-15 corn tortillas
• 3 cups mashed pinto beans
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 3 T oil, plus more to fry tortillas
• 1/2 onion, chopped (1-2 cups, my onion was large and was 2 cups)
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 4 tomatillos, chopped
• 1/3 cup green chili, chopped
• 1 T garlic powder
• 2 t cumin
• 2 t chili powder
• 1 t basil
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 T cornstarch
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• garnish: shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, lime wedges, cilantro

Directions: Saute onion, jalapeno, tomatillo and green chili in oil until soft. Once they are soft puree them in the blender or food processor until smooth(you can leave them chunky if you like). Add the puree to a large pot. Mix cornstarch with the chicken stock and add to the puree. Add seasonings and chicken. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cream cheese and cook until melted. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray and layer the chicken mixture, then tortillas, beans, cheese, chicken mixture.(I did 3 layers) Top with 1-2 cups of salsa and cheese. Bake at 375 until it starts to bubble and the cheese begins to brown, approx. 25 minutes. I only used a small amount of cheese, but adjust for your taste. I fried my tortillas in small amount of oil and then patted the extra oil off with a paper towel before layering the tortillas. Serve with shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime.