Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 lbs. russet potatoes (about 6 large potatoes, (2721g) $4.75)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.08)
• ½ lb. bacon (divided, (226g) $2.62)
• 1 stick butter (softened, (½ cup) $0.99)
• 1 cup sour cream (8 oz, $0.99)
• 1 cup milk (8 oz ($0.22)*)
• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened, $1.68)
• 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded & divided, (200g) $1.67**)
• 1 tsp garlic powder ($0.06)
• 1 Tbsp salt ($0.12)
• 1 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.16)
• nonstick cooking spray ($0.01)
• 2 green onions (thinly sliced, $0.21)

Instructions

1. Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Prep the potatoes
3. Wash, dry, then pierce the potatoes with a fork. Brush all the potatoes with vegetable oil. Then put them on a parchment-lined oven-safe tray and place them in the oven.
4. Cook
5. Lay out the bacon on another parchment-lined oven-safe tray and place it in the oven. Cook the bacon for 15-20 minutes, until crispy. Then remove them from the oven and crumble when cooled. Set aside.
6. Bake
7. Continue cooking the potatoes for an additional 40 minutes, until fork-tender.*** Remove them from the oven.
8. Scoop
9. Turn the oven down to 375°F. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut three of them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potatoes into a large bowl and save the skins for another use. (I air-fried mine for a snack).
10. Mash
11. Cut and add the remaining three potatoes, half of the crumbled bacon, butter, sour cream, milk, cream cheese, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the large bowl. Mash and fold together until combined.
12. Spread
13. Grease a 9x13 oven-safe dish and pour the potato mixture into the dish. Spread evenly. Top evenly with the remaining cheddar and bacon.
14. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until melty. Remove from the oven and top with green onions.