Dishin' Up Some Comfort

Hands down this is one of my all-time favorite, must-lick-the-bottom-of-the-casserole-dish recipes. It has all the comfort (and calories) one could possibly want in a meal and is fairly simple to make too.

Loaded BBQ Potato Casserole

Makes: 9x13 dish

Ingredients needed:

• 6-8 slices of bacon, cooked
• 4 oz. (1/2 package) cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups shredded cheddar, divided
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
• 3 cups shredded BBQ pork
• 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
• mashed potatoes to serve 8-10

1. Cook the bacon and cut into small pieces. Prepare mashed potatoes and add in bacon pieces, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, chilies, salt and pepper, softened cream cheese and sour cream. Mix well and spread into bottom of 9x13 pan.

2. Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of cheddar on top of mashed potatoes.

3. Drop pork BBQ onto top of cheese and spread on top of casserole. Drizzle with BBQ sauce.

4. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes - til heated through.

I have several shortcuts that I use for this recipe: instant mashed potatoes (because after you add all the stuff in, you really can't tell they are instant), precooked bacon, and sometimes pork BBQ from the store. If I don't buy the BBQ, I usually put between 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. of frozen pork loin in the crock pot with about half a jar of BBQ sauce and let it cook on low all day (don't even have to thaw the meat). When the pork is cooked I use a fork to pull the meat apart and mix it in with all the juices in the crock pot and use it as the BBQ for the top.

This meal also freezes really well, so plan ahead and make two. I promise you are going to love this one!