We are back home in Portland.
It seems the pressure is on. We are in a time crunch. Our calendars are filling up. There are page-long lists of "to-dos". Most of the "chores" are fun wedding-related items, but do y'all remember last Fall when we had Lisa's childhood bath/bedroom remodeled? The job was barely finished before it was time for us to head south in our motorhome, so we postponed having the new carpet installed.
Until last Thursday.
The new carpet has finally been installed! This week, DT and I will work on getting everything back in-place to make her girl-hood suite "family friendly". It is a lovely space, with a large sitting room, a separate bedroom and that gorgeous new bathroom. I will post "after" photos in a few days - the kids arrive Thursday morning!
But mostly we are all focusing on the upcoming wedding. But not Lisa & Lenny's wedding. First, we all get to celebrate Chris (Mary & Steve's only son) & Laura's wedding, next Saturday in Portland.
Laura & Chris - photo by Mary
I just can never decide which one of these kids is the luckiest for finding the other. Maybe it is the rest of us who are lucky to have them in our lives? Isn't young love just the greatest thing?
Makes me cry.
Enough blubbering.
On the first of each month I send out an email newsletter. It contains the latest and greatest in all-things RVing - product reviews, travel tips, links to interesting festivals, deals and anything else I happen to be fascinated with at the moment. I also always include a recipe that is not yet posted on this website. September 1st, I shared the yummy Twice Baked Potato Casserole I made for our Olympic party.
Tonight, I will share it with everyone on the internet.
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On to the recipe...
I am stating right upfront - this recipe is not healthy. It is not low-fat. However this casserole is delicious, easy to assemble, can be prepared ahead of time... is loaded with potassium, vegetarian and is gluten free. It will also make you very popular at your next RV potluck.
Twice-Baked Potato Casserole does require a bit of planning, because the potatoes must be baked and cooled before shredding. I used my food processor (6x6mm shredder), but a box grater would work just as well - and would be less fussy (less dishes to wash) if you are in the RV. And don't feel restricted by the (only 4, plus salt and pepper) ingredients listed. Think of this recipe as a basic guide. I have made the dish four times and have just used what I like on my baked potato. Maybe mix it up with spicy Mexican cheeses and a can of diced green chilies? And even this old Jewish gal knows crumbled crispy bacon would be divine sprinkled over the top before serving. The ingredients fit in an 8x8-inch baking dish, but I like to use a larger pan - so there is more cheesy surface to enjoy!2 pounds baking potatoes (preferably Idaho russets, about 2-3 large)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups (8 oz.) grated sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
½ cup finely sliced green onions
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Heat oven to 400°. Wash and dry the potatoes. Pierce the skins with a knife and wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil. Bake for 60-90 minutes, or until just cooked through. (Test after one hour by carefully poking a paring knife through the foil and into the center of one of the potatoes.) When potatoes have finished cooking, remove from oven, remove the foil and leave to cool, then refrigerate until cold. Do not peel. (Potatoes can be baked the day before and refrigerated overnight.)
Heat oven to 375°. Oil a medium-sized (8x8-inch or larger) baking dish. Shred the cold potatoes, skin and all, in a food processor (using a 6x6mm shredding blade) or with a box grater (using the largest grate). Place the shredded potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Place the sour cream, 1½ cups of the cheddar (reserve the remaining ½ cup), green onion, salt and pepper into the mixing bowl and using a spatula (or your fingers) mix the ingredients together until evenly distributed. Place the potato mixture into the oiled baking dish. No need to pat-down, just roughly cover the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining half-cup of cheddar over the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes - or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese on top has browned. Let rest five minutes and serve. Serves 6.
Until my next update, I remain, your busy correspondent.