Everything you want and love in a baked potato, but pre-mixed and with a crunchy top.  Mmmmm...carbs...

Baked Potato Casserole (Potatoes Romanoff)
adapted from Tasty Kitchen

3 large russet potatoes
1/2 pound bacon, diced
3/4 cup minced shallots
2 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Scrub potatoes well and wrap in foil.  Bake for about an hour.  Remove foil and let potatoes cool to room termperature.  You can bake these ahead, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until you are ready to make the casserole.

Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crispy.  Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grate cooled potatoes, including skins.  Combine grated potatoes, bacon, shallots, 1 1/2 cups grated cheese, and salt and pepper in large bowl.  Gently fold in the sour cream.

Spoon potato mixture into a  1 1/2 quart baking dish/au gratin dish.  Be careful not to press the potatoes into the pan.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mmmmm...mushroom bites with sausage and cheese...(insert drooling Homer Simpson image here)...

Try these next time you have a party!

Stuffed Mushrooms
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

24 ounces white button mushrooms
1/3 pound sausage
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Clean mushrooms, then pop out the stems.  Finely chop the stems and set aside.

Arrange the mushroom caps on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.

Brown and crumble the sausage in a skillet.  Remove from skillet with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add shallot and garlic to skillet and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.

Pour in wine, stir and scrape up the yummy brown bits, and cook until liquid evaporates.

Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 2 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside to cool.

Combine cream cheese and egg yolk in bowl.  Stir in Parmesan cheese, cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems.  Put bowl in refrigerator for 30 minutes or so.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon the sausage mixture into each mushroom cap, mounding on top.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool ten minutes before serving.

Another work week is over...Friday is here!  Are you ready for some sports?  Baseball playoffs, college football (Ohio State is #1!) and of course, the NFL (go Ravens!)!  Here's something for your sports-watching pleasure...

There are some bar food items that will never go out of style...mozzarella sticks, wings, sliders, and of course, potato skins.  The thing is, these are soooo much better when you make them yourself!

Potato Skins
adapted from Simply Recipes

6 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
butter
canola oil
kosher salt and pepper
6 strips bacon
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
sour cream
a few scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Scrub the potatoes well, then rub all over with softened butter and prick several times with a fork.  Bake for an hour.  Remove from oven and let cool.

While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon until crispy.  Drain, cool, and chop.

When the potatoes are cool, cut them in half longways and scoop out the insides, leaving a 1/4" shell.  Save the scooped out potato for another use.

Increase oven temp to 450 degrees.  Brush canola oil all over the potato skins, both inside and out and sprinkle with salt.  Bake on a rack in a roasting pan for 10 minutes, then flip the skins over and bake for another 10 minutes.  This makes the skins super-crispy so they can hold up the toppings without getting soggy.

Set oven to broil.  Arrange potato skins on rack, skin side down.  Sprinkle with pepper, then evenly distribute cheese and bacon among them.  Broil for 2 minutes (watch carefully!), or until cheese is bubbly.

Sprinkle with slliced green onions and serve with sour cream.

Then open up your own bar.

More munchies for your football party this weekend...

Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites
recipe adapted from The Culinary Couple

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
3 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped ham
1/3 finely grated cheddar cheese
6 cups water
4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons coarse salt

Mix together the yeast, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and warm water in a large bowl.  Let stand at room temperature until foamy.

In a separate bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons brown sugar and warm milk; stir until dissolved.  Stir 3 cups flour and milk mixture into the yeast mixture in the large bowl.  Mix until soft dough forms.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth ball.  Put in clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 2 hours, or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line sheet pans with parchment.  Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.  Stretch and roll one piece on floured surface into a 12-inch rope, then flatten into a 12" by 8" rectangle with a rolling pin.  Press 1/4 of the ham and cheese onto the bottom third of the rectangle.  Stretch edge of dough over filling, pinch to seal, then roll tightly to a rope. 

Cut into 12 pieces and move to sheet pan.  Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.  Let bites rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot.  Add the baking soda and reduce heat to keep water at a simmer.  Cook bites a few at a time in the water, for about 20 seconds, turning once.  Remove with slotted spoon and return to baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt.  Serve with whatever dipping sauce floats your boat (honey and mustard, ranch, barbeque) or just by themselves...yum!

Forget the blue box and neon orange "cheese" powder.  This is some seriously good comfort food.

Macaroni and Cheese
adapted from a recipe in McCall's Cooking School cookbook

2 cups macaroni or other pasta
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup diced cooked chicken or ham

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bring large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook 4-5 minutes, or slightly less done than al dente.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile...

chop up the red pepper...

grate the cheese...

and dice the chicken (or ham).

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Remove from heat and add flour, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir until smooth.  Gradually add milk, stirring so there are no lumps.

Return saucepan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Add diced red bell pepper, reduce heat to low and simmer for one minute.  Remove from heat.

Add cooked pasta, chicken or ham, and 1 1/2 cups grated cheese to the saucepan and stir to combine. 

Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes...cheese should be melted and bubbly.