Twice Baked Potato Casserole

 INGREDIENTS

- 5 lb baking potatoes (such as russet) - 8 tbsp unsalted butter - 1 cup sour cream - 1 3/4 cup buttermilk - 6 oz cheddar cheese, shredded - 12 oz bacon - 1 bunch scallion, chopped, separating white and green parts - 3 cloves garlic, minced - 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt - 1 1/2 tsp black pepper - 2 tbsp minced parsley - 1 tbsp minced chives INSTRUCTIONS - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside. - Prick the washed and dried potatoes a few times with a fork and set them on a baking sheet. Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven until they are tender, or when a knife inserted into the middle of the largest potatoes meets no resistance, 55-75 minutes. Once the potatoes are baked, remove them from the oven. - While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp. Allow the bacon to cool and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once all of the bacon has cooked, remove all but 1 tbsp of the grease. - Heat the bacon grease in the skillet over low heat and add the white parts of the chopped scallion. Sauté until the scallion is softened and beginning to brown, 4-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Once the garlic is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside. When the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop it into small pieces and set it aside. - When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each one in half, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, and place them in a large bowl, leaving as little skin as possible. Add the butter to the warm potatoes and mash until mostly smooth. Pour in the buttermilk, sour cream, salt, pepper, and mash until the buttermilk is combined with the potatoes. Stir in the prepared bacon, sautéed scallions and fresh greens from the scallions, and half of the shredded cheese. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. - Bake in the 375°F oven until the potatoes are warmed through, and the cheese is beginning to brown, 25-30 minutes. Garnish with parsley and chives.