Loi Palmer, April 2006 MMCW
8 large baking potatoes, 1 cup sour cream, 1 stick butter, 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, 2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 6 slices of crumbled crisp bacon, 1/2 cup chopped chives.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and place on baking rack. Bake for 1 hour or until very soft.
Peel and mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and 1 cup of Cheddar cheese. Blend with a potato masher or electric mixer. Stir in salt and pepper.
Lightly spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with vegetable oil. Place the potatoes into the dish. The casserole may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to bake.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 40 minutes until hot. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese on top of the casserole and return to the oven for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped chives and crumbled bacon before serving.
