A few weekends ago Food Network was on, and Mark walked by and saw Trisha Yearwood was making this Mashed Potato Casserole with Bacon on top. He actually stopped walking and said “Ah man that looks good”. Later that day he asked “Can you make that potato casserole that was on tv?”. Sure husband. See, what he didn’t fully understand until now, is that we all benefit from watching the Food Network in this house.

My dad grew up in Kansas. His family survived off of food like Tuna Casserole. Mac and Cheese, and anything with bacon. Or potatoes. I knew he’d be in heaven when he saw this dish.

One time (post marriage but pre babies) I went home to California to visit my family. My mom was away for a few nights visiting my sister at college, so it was just me and my dad at home. The first night he offered to make me some dinner. I was like “Sure dad that would be great! What are you making?”. He pulled out a frozen bag of chicken nuggets and a package of bacon. That’s it. I was confused. I asked him if that was all he was making and he said “Yep!”. Then he told me that whenever my mom goes out of town he goes to Costco, gets the biggest bag of chicken nuggets, slabs of bacon, and just solely lives off those 2 items, for days. Maybe even weeks or years. I don’t even know. I ran away from him in that moment. Mom, never leave him alone again!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/potato-casserole-2791023

This recipe seemed simple enough. Basically just mashed potatoes with bacon and cheese melted on top. Oh, and I added onions, because everything is better with onions. I had to use my KitchenAid mixer, too, which I love any excuse to use. Mark ran to Home Depot while I was making this, (he’s making moves on baby girl’s room, woohoo!) so I FaceTimed my parents while he was gone. The oven “dinged” while my dad’s face was plaster on my iPhone, so I showed him a glimpse the potato goodness I just pulled outta the oven.

I think he wants my mom to go outta town again so he can go back to his college dorm diet.

I texted a picture of the finished product to Mark while he was at Home Depot. He showed up 10 minutes later asking for a bowl to try. He ate a huge turkey sandwich right before his shopping trip. What is it with men and being ready to eat foods like this at a moments notice?