Okay, so this is really, really good.  A little indulgent, YES!, but we all need to indulge in some comfort food every now and then.  

I used parmesan and mozzarella cheese and it was a great combination, but feel free to be creative and use your favorite cheeses.  I made homemade onion rings for the topping.  In my recipe, I use a deep fat fryer, but you can use a large pot on the stove if you do not have one.  

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. butter
6 slices bacon
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup milk or more as needed to thin mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded parmesan, monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, divided
8 ounces sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 green onions, chopped
1 batch homemade onion rings to top the casserole

1.  Saute onion and garlic in butter.  Set aside.  

2.  Cook bacon.  Save two tablespoons of the bacon drippings.  Crumble bacon into small pieces.

3.  Stir together the onion and garlic, bacon drippings, mashed potatoes, milk, cheeses (Just 2 cups of mozzarella or cheddar), sour cream, salt, pepper, and green onions.

4.  Spread into a greased 9×13 pan.  Sprinkle on bacon crumbles and remaining mozzarella or cheddar.  Then place homemade onion rings on top.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes.  (Place a piece of foil on top if it starts to get too dark.)

Recipe adapted from The Finer Things in Life.

We really enjoy this cake.  It is simple to prepare and so moist.  It's a great everyday cake that you don't even need to frost and it stays delcious and moist for several days.  

This is what the cake looks like in the crock pot when it is done.  It will be the shape of your crock pot so keep that in mind if you have an oval crock pot, your cake will be oval shaped.  Also, because slow cookers are different sizes, you may need to cook the cake shorter or longer.  Monitor it somewhat the first time.  

This cake is pretty easy to transfer to a platter, but you will need to use some care when doing this.  I use a turner and lift up slightly underneath the cake all around to make sure it is loose from the crock.  Then I place a platter on top of the crock and flip the cake out onto the platter.  

Doesn't this look delicious?  It is seriously good.  I may have to go and make one right now.  

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Spray crock of a large slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in the boiling water. 
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
5. Pour the cake batter into the greased slow cooker.
6. Set slow cooker to "Low". Cook until the cake has no wet spots on top and has pulled away from the sides of the crock pot, about 3 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and allow the cake to rest for 30 minutes or more before transferring it to a platter.  Keep it covered to retain its moisture during this resting period.  I have left the cake in the crock pot for as long as 90 minutes after turning it off and it was still moist and delicious.       

Serve with strawberries and whipped cream for an extra special treat.

Recipe slightly adapted from All Recipes.

Disclosure:  If you use this link for coconut oil it is a referral link.  If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.  

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