Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole

It's hard to describe the sensation of walking in a cloud. ⛅️ My better half and I took a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains last month and we spent most of our time with our heads in the clouds - quite literally.  (And not just because we were celebrating our anniversary.)😅 Hiking Mt. Le Conte on a party cloudy day gives a whole new meaning to the name "Great Smoky Mountains."  The trails appeared almost smoky or foggy but in reality - they were just blanketed in a cloud.  

I had prepared my backpack with what I believed to be all of the necessary items for our 15 mile hike.  I had bandaids and antibiotic cream in case of random scapes and scratches along the journey.  (I'm ridiculously clumsy. 💁🏻‍♀️)  I even packed extra socks and ibuprofen in anticipation of wet feet and muscle soreness.  What I didn't plan for was the encompassing moisture that happens when one walks through clouds for hours at a time.  Anyone know what one should wear when hiking through the clouds?  

Walking through a cloud is like being completely enveloped in a weightless, damp blanket.  It's quite a unique sensation really.  The low clouds gave a mysterious feel to the trails.  Like entering the magical land of Narnia or shire.  

I may have been underprepared for the dampness of cloud walking but I was fully prepared for our picnic lunch at the summit. #priorities We feasted on turkey sandwiches, apples, sweet potato chips and ranger cookies.  🍪 Anyone else feel like lunch is the best part of the hike?  

My legs felt a whole new level of exhaustion after our 8+ hour hiking day.  Ibuprofen helped relieve the muscle soreness but carbs helped with the mental fatigue. 🍝 There's nothing like a big bowl of cheesy potatoes to boost my energy levels.  This Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole is exactly what my body craves after a serious hike or after a long walk to the mailbox.  😂

Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole
Potatoes
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2" thick slices
1 teaspoon salt
16 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups whole milk mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup minced chives

Topping
3/4 cup panko
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Place potatoes and 2 T. salt in dutch oven.  Add water to cover by 1" and bring to a boil.  

Reduce heat to simmer and cook 18-20 minutes.  Drain potatoes and put in bowl of standing mixer.

Add butter and mash potatoes. 

Stir in half and half, pepper and salt.

Stir in gruyere, mozzarella and chives. 

Transfer mixture to a 9x13" pan.  

Combine panko, gruyere and melted butter for topping.  

Sprinkle over potatoes.  

Bake 30 minutes at 350.  Let cool 30 minutes. 

Cheesy mashed potatoes were the perfect compliment to my sirloin and parmesan meatloaf and green bean dinner.  

​Ciao!

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