Twice Baked Potato Casserole

This tastes exactly how its supposed to but better!  I tried this out first on Mr. R over Thanksgiving and then again with our friends The Brewers this past weekend on New Years Eve.  I keep catching Mr. R sneaking a spoonful of the leftover out of the fridge!  I originally found the recipe HERE but halved the recipe for the 4 of us.  I probably could have quartered it and been perfectly fine.

PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES

READY IN: 1 1/2 HOURS

YIELDS: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

2.5 lbs russett potatoes

10 slices bacon (REAL bacon-not the turkey stuff)

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup salted butter (original recipe called for unsalted but I didn't have any, salted worked just fine)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 cup chives

1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp salt (again original called for kosher but didn't have any, reg was just fine)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut potatoes into medium sized cubes (I kept the skin on for added flavor).  Place in large stock pot with just enough water to cover potatoes.  Boil until tender enough to mash with a fork or spoon.  On a separate plate, microwave bacon until crispy (recipe originally called for it to be skillet cooked but thats just so messy...)  Drain water from potato pot.  Mash potatoes to desired creaminess.  Add 1/2 of the bacon (crumbled), cream cheese, butter, sour cream, chives, salt, and 1 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese.  Mix together until blended completely.  Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.   Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and potatoes are warmed through.  Add remaining bacon to garnish. 

Grown Up Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

Bourbon + Pumpkin Pie = DELISH!
My good friend KMM found this treat on the always brilliant Pinterest.  It was the perfect fall dessert on Sunday night!  Enjoy!

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

READY IN: 20 MINUTES

YIELDS: 2 MILKSHAKES

INGREDIENTS

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup half & half

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup pureed pumpkin

1/2 tbsp **pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

2-3 oz bourbon

frosting & sprinkles (or cinnamon sugar) for glasses

DIRECTIONS (found online here):

**Create pumpkin pie spice by blending cinnamon, ginger, cloves & nutmeg together.  Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until combined.  Rim glasses with a light coating of frosting and then dip in sprinkles or pumpkin pie spices.  Shake and sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Top with whipped cream if desired.  See our finished product below and forgive the awful blackberry pics! 

 

If My Oven Worked...

I would make these yummy treats!  The oven was fried by lightning (along with our Wii, a computer cord, two breakers, and our cable) in July.  Come to find out the lightning fried the control panel so its going to cost us $500+ to fix it.  Good thing the Big Green Egg is working JUST fine:).

CHICKEN ROLL UPS
Recipe found HERE


CRESCENT BREAKFAST RING
bacon, eggs, cheese & crescent rolls YUMMMM, found HERE


BETTER THAN JIM 'N NICKS CHEESY BISCUITS
Found HERE


PUMPKIN CORNBREAD
Found HERE


ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE & OREO FUDGE BROWNIE BAR
YES looks as good as it sounds...found HERE
 

I'm Dreaming of a White Kitchen...

Imagine that title sung to the tune of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas."  Just sayin...
Check out these beauts for my future home:).

via Apartment Therapy

via Pinterest

via CoCo Cozy

via Apartment Therapy

via Studio Stratton

via Houzz

Fried Green Tomatoes

Happy Friday!  We made it to the 3-day weekend.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day and one last hurrah for summer.  Maybe enjoy this recipe for the festivities??!!

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

READY IN: 20 MINUTES

YIELDS: 15 SLICES

INGREDIENTS:

3 green tomatoes

3 cups corn meal

3 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

pepper to taste

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Slice tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and set aside.  Crack eggs and blend together in bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix together corn meal, salt and pepper.  ***Only use a pinch of salt, I made the mistake my first go around of using too much and it tasted like we were eating salt cubes.***  Heat oil in medium skillet until almost boiling.  Slice by slice, coat in egg, then drag in corn meal mixture and set in hot oil to fry.  Cook on each side about 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oil and place on paper towel to drain.  Repeat until all slices are fried and ENJOY!

SUGGESTED ADDITIONS:

goat cheese crumbles

peach chutney

ranch dressing