Mashed Potato Casserole with Bacon, Cheese and Chives

 Mashed potatoes stuffed with cheese, sour cream, bacon and chives is comfort food indeed. I took this casserole to my oldest son's house for our Mother's day dinner last evening. My son grilled chicken so this Mashed Potato Casserole went well with our dinner on the deck. The evening got cool, so a hot side dish was very welcome. I don't normally use a recipe when I make this dish, so I wrote it down this time as I put it together.
This casserole is perfect for a family gathering or a pot luck dinner. In fact, it tends to find the way to a lot of our church dinners, where there is not a bite left. I'm sure many of you make a similar dish. Hope you enjoy it!

Mashed Potato Casserole with Bacon, Cheese and Chives

From Lynda's Recipe Box

I used gold potatoes this time, but red skinned or russet potatoes work well too.

Ingredients:

4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut up to be boiled

about 3/4 cup milk

1/2- 3/4 cups sour cream

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups, (8 ounces), freshly shredded cheese, separated - I used Colby this time , but Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella or Gouda is delicious with the bacon also.

2-4 tablespoons freshly snipped chives-I used 2, but really could have used more.

5-6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan, in salted, boiling water until they are tender. Drain well, and return the potatoes to the pan.

2. Mash well with potato masher, or a hand mixer, and add the butter and mash into the potatoes. Add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup sour cream and beat until incorporated. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and chives. Now, add more milk or sour cream if it is needed. Potatoes should be very creamy. Taste potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon potatoes into a buttered 9x13 inch glass baking pan and smooth evenly in the pan. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until they are hot.

4. Remove dish from oven and remove foil. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheeses over the potatoes and return them to the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and casserole is hot.

5. Remove casserole from oven. Sprinkle with all the crumbled bacon and 2 teaspoons of fresh snipped chives. Enjoy!

NOTE: This casserole can be prepared a day ahead if desired. Just cover the pan of mashed potatoes with foil and keep in the fridge. Baking time will take longer because the casserole is cold, maybe 30-40 minutes. Then top with toppings.