Grandmas cheesy bacon bake!

As the evenings grow darker and the temperature drops, I find myself craving simple, home – made comfort food like my Grandma used to cook when I was a little girl.

One of my favourite things she used to cook was her cheesy bacon bake. As I grew older, she taught me how to make it and I love cooking it for my family. It is one of our family favourites and there are never any leftovers!

Here is how to make my lovely Grandmas cheesy bacon bake. A lovely, simple (but very tasty) meal. Perfect for Autumn!

Ingredients – 8 large washed white potatoes, 3 washed leeks, 6 rashers of bacon, little milk, knob of butter and approx 200g grated cheddar cheese. (Serves 4).

Method – First, preheat your grill to a medium heat. Next, peel and chop the potatoes and put into a large saucepan. Trim and chop the leeks and add to the pan with enough cold water to cover the vegetables. Put the pan on the hob to boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Whilst the potatoes and leeks are cooking, grill the bacon. When the bacon is cooked, cut into small pieces, and set aside in a bowl. (Keep the grill on, as you will need to use it again later).

Once the potatoes and leeks are cooked drain the water from the saucepan, then mash together. Add a knob of butter and a little milk if you wish (just like making mashed potato)! Then add 3/4 of the cheese and mix into the mash mix.Next, add the chopped bacon and mix it all together.Next, spoon the mixture into a large oven dish or smaller dishes. I like to use several small individual dishes. Then top with the remaining grated cheese. 

To finish, place the dish under the grill until the cheese is golden brown.

I like to serve my bake with herby baked beans or green beans, but it is completely up to you! A yummy meal for the whole family!

Hope you enjoy!