There’s a lot I could say about the events in Boston yesterday, but more than anything my heart goes out to the people who have been affected by someone else’s hateful and selfish decision to hurt others. More than anything I just sit there and look at my son and wish that I could hold him close to me always, protect him from this world that we live in. I can’t bring myself to never let him go; I know that God has placed him on this earth to make a difference. To do something huge. To love others well. My son is going to be used in great and unimaginably huge ways by the Lord.
But in this moment I just want to hold him, to comfort him for the things that he is oblivious to right now. He doesn’t know that bad things happen (unless, of course, you count his imminent removal from the bathtub before he’s ready). He doesn’t know that blind hatred exists, that people are mean, that sin is destructive.
What he knows right now is love. And I am so thankful for that.
This is a great dish to make for breakfast, brunch, or really any time you need to eat. It brings on the comfort in all of its cheesy goodness, is fabulous served with fresh fruit or maybe even some extra eggs on the side. The green onions are imperative – I promise you’ll want to use them.
More importantly though? This is a warm and comforting dish that will bring you closer to the people you love. Because when it comes down to it that’s the biggest choice (next to choosing to follow Jesus and choose salvation) we can make: to LOVE.
I love you guys. You inspire me to come back day after day and share the food that I feed my family, to share my life, to be a better wife/mother/woman. If you ever wonder if someone cares – I DO 🙂
CHEESY BACON POTATO CASSEROLE
- 3-1/2 cups shredded potatoes (I like to use Simply Potatoes shredded hashbrowns – the whole bag)
- 10 slices bacon (I use precooked bacon and just microwave it, then chop)
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions (white and light green parts only)
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese (I like Philadelphia Jalapeno cream cheese – SPICY), at room temperature
- 4 whole eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Stir together the potatoes and 2 cups of the shredded cheese and spread it even in the prepared pan. Chop the bacon and green onions and spread evenly over the potato/cheese mixture. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cup of cheese. Cream the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Combine with the eggs and milk and mix until everything is well combined. Whisk in the salt and pepper and pour over the ingredients in the pan. Shake the pan a bit to evenly distribute. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature!
Hello, is this a recipe you could make the day prior & just refrigerate until the morning? Also, would it make much of a difference if I used half of the eggs recommended? I’m also doing a quiche & don’t want it to feel like I’m serving 2 “egg” dishes. Thanks!
I think you could definitely make it the day before! I would just put it into a cold oven and let it preheat with the oven to make sure it comes up to temperature. As for the eggs, it’s not a really egg-heavy dish and I can’t say for certain if it would work well with fewer eggs. It’s not nearly as eggy as a quiche though!
In your receipe you don’t say to cook the hash browns first, but I noticed when you commented to Tracie you said to do this as well as thaw them first…so just wanted to double check. Do we thaw the potatoes and cook them first before adding the rest of ing.?
Hey Renee! Thanks for checking! I would recommend thawing frozen ones completely before making the recipe as directed; if you can’t thaw them completely then cooking them slightly beforehand works great! I hope that helps!
My first internet recipe FAIL. Made exactly as directed. Potatoes didn’t finish cooking, eggs rose to the top in a milky layer. Truly, truly gross. Waste of ingredients.
I’m truly sorry to hear that – I could try to work through it with you if you like! I’m not sure what could have happened; I make this almost weekly to recipe and it’s great every time.
Perfecto! I am hosting a birthday dinner for a friend tomorrow night and was thinking of a “twice baked potatoes” side – but this is so much easier! Thank you soooo much!
yum
Do I thaw the hash brown first or put them in the pan frozen?
Great question Tracie! Thaw them first, then bake them off 🙂
We are going to make this for a large group. I think it will be a big hit! How many does each 9×13 pan serve and should I cook it longer with 2 in the oven?
Hey Sharon! I would say each pan serves 6-8; I’ve done two at a time and only added 5 minutes or so with them side-by-side, and I rotated them halfway through cooking!
Awesome! I’m working on them right now!
Thanks,
Sharon 🙂
Please provide a “save” button as well as a way to print your recipes. Most of us don’t have time to write it all down, even if it’s something we REALLY like, like this one. Many thanks, Di
Hi Diane,
Thank you so much for the feedback! I will see what I can do to make it easier to save and print!
SUPER!! You have many recipes I’d love to try, but not having a laptop puts me at the end of the house, opposite the kitchen. Printing your recipes would be SUCH blessing! You’re such a smart lady for your years and I’d love to be able to “copycat” your recipes to my own table. There are only three of us, my Mother (81 years old), me at 61years old and my daughter who will be 35 in Sept. So you can see how many of your recipes fit our bill! Thanks again so much and I am ‘TOTALLY’ looking forward to the save and print buttons. You’re a doll! Tks, Di
I can’t wait to try this for a pot luck luncheon it sounds really good
Thanks Jo! I think it would be a hit at a pot luck 🙂
Yummy
Can this be made the night before and then baked the next day..It sounds wonderful!
Thanks,
Doris
Hi Doris! It certainly can be made the night before. I have done it and it works great; I just usually try to set it out for about 30 minutes before baking to let it come to room temperature a bit. I hope you love it!
I’m going to try it.. Looks sooooo good…
YUMMY yummy
Yum, talk about comfort food!!! This would be my ultimate!!!
just made this for me and my daughter so I cut the recipe in half and used evaporated milk and no not stuff. this is a great recipe!
I really like the evaporated milk idea – so glad you liked it!
Yumm! I need to try these. Next time we are all together we need these once. 🙂 Love, Mom
Sounds good to me! We both really love it 🙂
Yum! Cream cheese makes everything better, and I know my boys would gobble this up. Great recipe.
Aloha!!
This looks sinfully delicious!! all of my favorite things rolled into one. Question: is that the cream cheese dolloped on the top??
Hey Christa! In the photos, yes the cream cheese is dolloped on top and then baked, but now that I’ve made this an embarrassing number of times I find that I like it better with the cream cheese mixed in. Either way is delicious though!
Ohhhhh my word this looks delicious. What a perfect dish to share with those you love. 🙂
Perfect time for a good comfort food recipe!!
Yes, please! these look yummy!
Amazing. I love everything about this.
xo
Your way with words…awesome. Thank you. 🙂
I would actually love to have this as a side dish for dinner!
Ohhhhhh my goodness! This looks soooooo sinful but in a delicious way!
That looks so good! My husband would die of happiness if I made that for him.