Loaded potato casserole

If you ask Phee on any given night what she wants for dinner, her answer is some combination of black beans, potatoes, corn, and applesauce. Not bad choices at all. Potatoes are a big favorite in our house, especially baked potatoes loaded up with lots of goodies. Phee just wants cheese and butter, but I want everything- bacon, sour cream, cheese, chives. So delicious!

I've seen several incarnations of a chicken and baked potato dish on Pinterest, but find the addition of chicken unappealing for some reason. Cooked separately, it sounds delicious. All together? Not so much.

So I decided to try making a loaded potato casserole instead and completely skip the chicken. The addition of green pepper adds a sweet twist. This is a fantastic side dish, with lots of leftovers for lunches. We had it as the main dish with salad and loved it. There weren't as many leftovers, but that just means I have to make it again soon!

Loaded Potato Casserole (Weight Watchers = 6 PP per serving)
makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 3/4 c onion, chopped
• 3 oz bacon, cook and crumbled (or bacon bits)
• 1/4 t paprika
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1 t rosemary
• 1 t parsley
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Mix potatoes, peppers, onions, and bacon.
2. Add spices and olive oil and mix.
3. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Cover with foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
6. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese before serving. You can put the foil back over the pan lightly to help the cheese melt if needed.

What do you put on top of your baked potatoes? And how do you make them? I prefer oven baked, but never have time so I just microwave them.

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Looking for some more recipes? Check here and follow me on Facebook! 

Linked up at A Dish of Daily Life, Nancherrow, The Grant Life.