Comfort food in the form of a potato

Sometimes you just want to try something new but it has all the familiar comforts of something you know - loaded smashed potato casserole. This was so good - it was easy to boil potatoes, smash them up a bit, and add some delicious cheeses and seasonings. This made an entire 9 x 13 pan of potatoes - which was a lot for four adults and two kids. We ended up having them for dinner, then saving two containers to toss in the freezer for a future easy side dish in the future. The nice thing was I had pretty much everything already in the house - other than the potatoes.... go figure. I left out the bacon because well, bacon to me is something that can be left out. I'm pretty sure most people would love that addition - but I am not that person. But if you enjoy some bacon - add it to your hearts content! This is something easy enough to make quickly - but also something that can be made ahead and tossed in the oven - but your cook time is far longer to reheat those cold spuds. Certainly one to make again.

Loaded Smashed Potato Casserole
3 pounds small red potatoes
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup sliced green onion
1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
6 slices bacon,, cooked and crumbled

Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water just until tender. Drain.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Place potatoes in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher, leaving chunks.
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder until smooth.
Add to bowl with potatoes and stir to mix into the potatoes.
Mix in half the green onion, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, all of the mozzarella and Parmesan and half the bacon.
Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining green onion, cheddar cheese, and bacon on top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.