1-First Step: Get the oven and ingredients ready Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. While the oven heats, take the butter, sour cream, and milk out of the refrigerator so they can come to room temperature. This helps them blend into the potatoes more smoothly later. Gather a baking sheet, a large mixing bowl, and a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish so everything is ready when you need it.

2-Second Step: Bake the potatoes Scrub the russet potatoes clean and dry them completely. Dry potatoes matter here because moisture on the skin can keep them from baking evenly. Rub each potato with the canola oil, then place them on a baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until they are tender enough to mash easily.

3-Third Step: Cook the bacon slowly While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon over low heat until it is evenly cooked. Slow cooking helps the bacon render out fat and turn crisp without burning. Once it is done, set it aside to cool. When it has cooled enough to handle, crumble it into pieces, but keep some aside for the topping.

4-Fourth Step: Lower the oven temperature and prep the potatoes After the potatoes come out of the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F. Cut them open and let them cool just enough to handle safely. Leave the skins on two potatoes, then peel and discard the skins from the rest if you want that classic loaded-potato look with a little texture. Cut all of the potatoes into thirds and place them in a large bowl.

5-Fifth Step: Mix in the creamy ingredients Add the crumbled bacon, leaving the reserved bacon for the top. Then add the butter, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher or sturdy spoon to roughly mash the mixture. You want some texture, so do not aim for a perfectly smooth mash unless that is your preference.

6-Sixth Step: Add the milk slowly Pour in the milk a little at a time while mashing. This lets you control the final texture so the casserole is creamy without becoming loose. Keep mashing until the potatoes reach the consistency you like. Some people prefer a thicker casserole that holds its shape, while others like it a little softer and spoonable.

7-Seventh Step: Assemble the casserole Spoon the mashed potato mixture into the prepared 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread it out evenly so it bakes at the same rate across the whole pan. Then top it with the reserved bacon and a generous layer of extra shredded cheddar cheese. This gives the casserole that familiar loaded baked potato finish.

8-Eighth Step: Bake until hot and bubbly Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F. The cheese should melt, the top should get hot and lightly browned, and the filling should be heated through. If you like a little more color, let it stay in the oven for a couple extra minutes, but watch closely so the cheese does not overbrown.

9-Ninth Step: Garnish and serve Remove the casserole from the oven and finish it with sliced green onions. The green onions add fresh flavor and a nice pop of color against the cheesy top. Serve it warm while the cheese is still soft and the potatoes are creamy. This is the kind of dish that tastes best right away, but it reheats well too.