Baked Potato Stuffing

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 cups instant potato flakes
• 3 1/2 cups unseasoned soft croutons (i've even used potato bread bread cubes) or 3 1/2 cups bread cubes, divided (i've even used potato bread bread cubes)
• 3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 (1 ounce) package hidden valley ranch dressing mix (dressing mix, not dip mix)
• shredded cheese, any kind, i've used a mix of cheddar and monterey jack (optional)
• chopped scallion, to garnish (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees; place soft bread cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet and put in the oven while it preheats (this will just make the soft cubes a little more done); remove when oven is done preheating.
• 2 in a large saucepan, bring butter, water and salt to a boil; remove.
• 3 add milk and potato flakes, mix well.
• 4 stir in 3 cups of croutons, celery and hidden valley mix.
• 5 transfer to casserole dish and top with remaining croutons; bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
• 6 *if using cheese, remove from oven and add cheese; return to oven until cheese is melted.