Everyone should have certain go-to recipes that they can make quickly and feed a crowd. I feel it is important to always have a great potato recipe in your bag of tricks, especially for potlucks.
I found mine when I was thirteen.
My uncle’s best friend married a woman named Tara. Tara would bring this recipe to every Thanksgiving at my grandma’s house. I was one of Tara’s bridesmaids when I was thirteen.
I made this recipe for my husband when we first started dating. And continued to do so for the next few months. In fact, this recipe was the basis for our very first fight. Do you want to hear about it or should I get right to the recipe? Oh, you want to see the recipe. Well, just skip this part then. I’m going to tell you anyway:
Sixteen years ago my husband and I were at the grocery store buying the ingredients for this dish. I started to grab eight potatoes. My husband (fiancé at the time) made a grievous error. He decided to question my reasoning.
I know.
He understands now that there is no reasoning with me. Because I have no reason.
Or rhyme, as it were.
“It’s just the two of us. Why do we need eight potatoes?”
“Because that is what the recipe calls for.”
“But why can’t we cut the recipe in half?”
“BECAUSE IT DOESN’T SAY TO!” Then I burst into tears and ran from the store. In my defense we learned I was pregnant later that day and so I like to think it was simply the hormones and not a weird irrational need to bake eight potatoes.
After that fight, I stubbornly never made this dish again until this month.
Sixteen years really isn’t so long.
At least in potato years.
Every marriage should be measured in potato years.
Let’s just get to the recipe. If you are making this you are going to want to prepare the baked potatoes well in advance of using them. So, time accordingly.
This recipe is so easy. I changed the original recipe just a little. I like it, because you do not have to cut potatoes into small pieces or boil them. And, guess what? In the pictures I halved this recipe. If you are making this for a small family, I recommend doing that. For a crowd, I use the full recipe. Okay. So, he was right. Darn.
Ingredients:
8 large baking potatoes
4 Tbsp. Cold Butter
1 16 oz. container of sour cream (2 cups)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 – 2 tsp. salt (I use 1 1/2 tsp. first and then add an extra 1/2 tsp. if it needs it)
1/2 – 1 tsp. ground black pepper (depending on your preference)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
2 Tbsp. Finely chopped green onions
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash potato. Dry potato. Pierce the potato with a fork two times and then wrap it up in foil. Repeat eight times.
Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for seventy five minutes. Once the potatoes are baked (give a slight squeeze, if it gives then it is ready, if not bake the potato a little longer), place the potatoes still in their foil in your refrigerator to cool. Turn off oven. They need to cool for at least three hours, but I often cool them overnight so they are ready the next day.
Take potatoes out of the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove foil and simply peel or cut the skin off of the potato. I just cut off each end and then cut the skin off. This is easy and quick.
Place in your mixing bowl for your stand mixer or in a bowl to beat with your hand mixer.
Beat potatoes on low setting (if you do it higher, potatoes will go everywhere). Add sour cream and beat on low for thirty seconds and then turn to medium speed. Add salt, pepper, chives, cheese and green onions. Beat for a few minutes until potatoes are broken down and all of the ingredients are incorporated. There will still be small chunks of potatoes, but not large ones.
Pour potato mixture into a baking dish and smooth so it is even. Cut butter into small pieces.
Dot the top of the potatoes with the butter.
Place uncovered in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until edges are bubbling.
Serve the potatoes.
And store marriage in a cool, dark place until ready to handle again.
P.S. I shared this on Savvy Southern Style.
And My Romantic Home.
Mmmmm, those sound good! So funny, as my hubby always asks why I don’t decrease recipe sizes! I guess I fear it won’t turn out the same way, or I won’t measure something right. Those darn men, they just don’t understand!
Thanks Heather! It is funny, because I was so upset at the time. But now I always cut it in half for my family. But other recipes I do hate halving. I do not know why. It is silly, but it is what it is. : ). I think you are right, it must be because I worry about the measurements.
Have a great Thursday!
Jenni
I like this. Easy, peasy.
Thank you Brynne. I like this because it almost tastes like a twice baked potato. It is tastes surprisingly more complex than it sounds. I love it! : )
Have a happy Thursday!
Jenni
Looks yummy.Love the story and I am glad you brought this recipe back out again!!
Thank you Alicia. I am so happy to have tried this again. I made it for a crowd the other day and it was a hit. : ). That is always fun.
Have a gorgeous week!
Jenni
Delicious and easy! My two most important requirements in a recipe. Thanks, Jenni!
Thank you Holli! I thought of you when I posted this. I figured this was easier than emailing the recipe. : ). See you soon! Yay!
Have a happy week!
Jenni
This recipe is very similar to the mashed potatoes casserole I made at Christmas, for a dinner party. Wise people did not ask the ingredients, and just enjoyed the calories, haha! I think my recipe calls for more butter and more cheese. I will have to try yours to see if i can make a slightly healthier version.
Thank you Sharon. I think the original recipe had more butter but it really does not need it. I was doing the calculations for calories in my head and it was not as bad as I thought. It is still pretty bad, but not as bad as it could be! It tastes sinful. I would say there are probably 12 servings to a full dish and I come up with a little less than 300 calories per serving. Of course my math could be off, but that is what I am going with. ; )
Have a beautiful week!
Jenni
Freddy has asked me to alter recipes before when we are out of an ingredient or low on it. And I cannot do this. Gotta stick to the recipe or a disaster may happen. A disaster I tell ya! That potato pie looks yummy.
I am always altering recipes. I kind of love it. Of course it could go terrible terribly wrong. And it has. ; ). But I have also made a recipe exactly according to directions and have had bad results, so I am willing to experiment. I just made the most amazing pancakes last night because I was playing around and also because I was completely out of milk. That makes one have to be creative. : )
Have a fantastic Thursday!
Jenni
Fifteen years is big metal chickens! And sixteen years is baked potato pie! OBVIOUSLY!!
Also, your husband was being silly. You guys would’ve had leftovers that you could have heated up later that week! Tsk tsk, men… You were totally in the right, girlfriend… sixteen years ago…!
Yes, big metal chickens! I love it! Sixteen years, baked potato pie. It is funny. U cold not find my casserole dish and I really wanted to go outside and indulge in a glass of wine, so I slapped it in a pie pan. I never thought of how that would look. : ).
Ha! I just love when people take my side. ; ). Honestly I think he was right, but his deliverance needed some work.
Have a fabulous week!
Jenni
Like you, I only admit Kyle is right in my “little” voice, if I’m willing to acknowledge it all. He likes to question my “reasoning” in the kitchen as well. It’s an especially hard blow when he continually insists on halving the chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Ah well. This sounds super creamy and delicious. We only make potatoes a few different ways, but we certainly love eating them in the colder months, so I’ll have to pin this to my recipe board. Yum!
Thanks for always sharing little anecdotes alongside your recipes. I love reading them!
<3 Liz
http://www.withwonderandwhimsy.com
Ha! Yes, I wondered if anyone would notice the little voice. : ). That is the only way to do it. I cannot believe he wants you to halve the cookie recipe. That is blasphemy! Cookie recipes can never be halved. They can only be doubled. Or tripled. I will definitely be making this recipe in the winter months.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Jenni
Your baked potato casserole looks so good. Will definitely save this recipe!
Thank you Pam! I have made it twice this month. I hope you like it! : )
Have a wonderful week!
Jenni