Roasted Ranch Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

Hello All and Happy Thursday!  Prayers to those that need them.  Thanx so much for stopping by.  I haven't made today's recipe but I am making it this weekend for my awesome friends that are coming to visit!  Hope it's great.  But after reading it I can't see where it would be anything but.  I asked my friend that's visiting to help me find some cheesy potatoes and she found this at JoyouslyDomestic.com.  Looks and sounds amazing!  Maybe you guys will try it with us this weekend?  Enjoy the rest of your week, hang on the weekend is close!

Roasted Ranch Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

2 pounds potatoes (unpeeled, washed and cut into chunks)

1/2 cup ranch dressing (bottled, not packet)

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping (if desired)

1/4 cup crumbled, cooked bacon
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
3 scallions, washed and chopped
Salt
Pepper
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine (in a large bowl) the ranch dressing, dill, cheese and bacon.  Add in the potatoes.  Sprinkle in a generous pinch of salt and pepper.  Toss to coat potatoes.

Spoon into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.  Cover with foil.

Bake for 60 minutes.  Stir gently halfway through to get the bottom potatoes rotated so they don't become burnt and to ensure that the middle and top potatoes get a chance to brown. 

Remove foil.  Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Gently stir again, as necessary.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes, then sprinkle on a little more cheese, if desired.  Bake a few more minutes or until everything is gooey, browned and bubbly on top.

Serve with scallions sprinkled on top for garnish.

Great with a dollop of sour cream.

NOTE:  The original recipe called for jarred real bacon pieces.  I made the recipe using real bacon (about 5 - 6 slices) that I cooked until crisp and then broke into pieces.  Although I am a firm believer that there is never a substitute for real, fresh bacon, I would think that the kind from a jar would be fine (as long as you don't use imitation bacon bits).