Loaded Baked Potato Bake

On my most recent visit back up to Tampa I was fortunate enough for my aunt to invite us over for a home cooked dinner and to watch the NASCAR race.  Well I will never turn down a home cooked meal.  As much as I love cooking, I love eating other peoples cooking just as much.

Well as I was picking through the candy she always has throughout the house and reminding myself that I shouldn’t be eating all this she called me into the kitchen.  She wanted to show me a new way of making potatoes she came up with.  When I went in I saw her wonderful pork chops (recipe to come) cooking away and a big pot of potatoes boiling at the back of the stove.  Well I thought to myself “yumm, mashed potatoes”.  Guess what?  I was wrong.  Not that this is a new thing but I thought I had this one figured out.

Once she called me into the kitchen I saw half the potatoes draining away in the colander.  The other half were in a foil lined baking dish with seasonings and cheese all over them.

She then piled the rest of the potatoes on top and repeated the seasoning and cheese.  She told me that she was trying to come up with a new way to make potatoes last week and came up with these.  I was thinking to myself that this seems a bit to easy.  If they are as good as they look, why didn’t I come up with this?

Well you know me.  Once she pulled them from the oven I had my fingers in there grabbing one and popping it into my mouth.  The potato was so  creamy and the cheese just topped it off so well.  I told her I had to share these on my food blog and I was going to name them “Aunt Holly’s Loaded Baked Potato Bake”.  So I have done just that.  

She served them with sour cream and talking a bit we decided that some crushed up bacon would be good on them too the next time. 

So just think up all your favorite toppings on a baked potato and fix up this recipe to make it your own.  I know you all are going to enjoy these.  Let me (and aunt Holly) what you think, leave us a comment below.

 

Ingredients:

• 6-8 potatoes cut into big chunks
• 1 stick butter
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash (original)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Boil potatoes until tender.  Drain and place half of your potatoes in a lined 9×12 baking pan.  Cube your butter and place half of it over and around the potatoes.  Sprinkle with half your seasonings and cheese. 

Now layer the rest of your potatoes and repeat with the remaining butter, seasonings and cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted, bubbly and a bit browned (about 15-20 minutes).  You can place under broiler to brown them as much as you like.  As you can see we like them a bit browned.