Last Turkey Day Post- Mashed Potato Casserole with Gouda and Bacon

Okay,

So the reason why I take so long to post is because I want to leave a good amount of time in between recipes.  I feel like it might get overwhelming if I just post everything I have when I have it.  The truth is that I have at least three recipes in my head right now, but I am only going to put one down today.

As our final side dish for Thanksgiving, we had a potato casserole and it was awesome.  I almost nearly followed this recipe to a "T" from epicurious.com I only made a few changes.  Here is the original recipe:

6 slices thick-cut smoked bacon (preferably applewood-smoked)
3 large green onions (white and pale green parts only), finely chopped
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 11/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated smoked Gouda, divided

  
The only differences that I had from this recipe was that I used two or three more pieces of bacon and I did not use any butter.  I used the bacon grease.  OH YEAH!
The reason why I did that was because the butter really wasn't necessary and the bacon grease added more flavor to the potatoes.

For the record, it was awesome.  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture.  It got eaten before I could get a shot off.


First, you are going to boil the potatoes and cook the bacon.  Once the bacon is done, chop it and place it aside for later.  For the potatoes, you will want to put the cubed potatoes into cold water and heat it that way.  It is just the best way I have found.  Salt them and boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until soft.

Next, you will want to drain the potatoes and place them back into the original pot and turn the heat back on.  You will cook the potatoes until you see a slight film on the bottom of the pot (this is how you know most of the liquid is out).  You will then add the whole milk, bacon grease, and sour cream to the potatoes and mash them thoroughly.

Next, you will add 1 1/2 cups of the smoked Gouda, green onions and bacon to the potatoes and stir until well mixed.  The final step is to sprinkle the rest of the Gouda on top and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cheese is crusting on the top and you can hear it sizzling.


*This can be made ahead of time.  You could prepare this dish earlier in the day or the day before.  If you do, just cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.*
**If you do make it ahead of time, add about 5-10 more minutes to your bake time**


This would be a great side dish or some great comfort food for this winter.  I hope you like it!
Let me know how yours turns out!


Let us talk basic kneeds!