Hi Nichole,

There are a number of different approaches to a potato bake, depending on the recipe. You can first cook the potatoes, then slice (or chop) and bake with other ingredients; you can first slice or chop potatoes, then cook them, and then bake them with the other ingredients. Or you can bake sliced uncooked potatoes directly with the other ingredients.

Here are some of my favorite recipes for potato bakes and potato casseroles that include bacon:

• Crunchy Ranch Taters are cooked quartered potatoes combined with sour cream, Cheddar and bacon, then topped with crushed cornflakes before baking.
• Au Gratin Potatoes are cooked sliced potatoes combined with salad dressing, American cheese and onion, baked, then topped with crumbed bacon.
• Potatoes Lorraine uses uncooked sliced potatoes layered with bacon and Gruyere cheese, then baked.
• New Potato Casserole has cooked quartered new potatoes, bacon bits and Cheddar.

In addition, I have a number of other terrific recipes for potatoes that are baked with cheese, cream and other ingredients:

Creamy Potatoes & Leeks are uncooked sliced potatoes layered with sautéed leeks, soaked in cream and eggs, and topped with toasted bread crumbs before baking.

Potatoes Romanoff is a combo of cooked cubed potatoes, cottage cheese, and sour cream and topped with Cheddar before baking.

Grated Potato Casserole uses (uncooked) grated potatoes and American Cheese.

Potatoes Florentine uses mashed cooked potatoes, frozen spinach and Colby cheese.

Smoky Mountain Potatoes are cooked and thinly sliced potatoes baked with ricotta, Cheddar and mozzarella.

Golden Potato Bake takes somewhat of a shortcut approach, using frozen hash browns, instead of sliced or shredded potatoes. It doesn’t cut down much on the baking time, but does save some prep time.

Hope this helps—good luck in your potato bake adventure!