Potato Casserole

Sometimes we're fortunate enough in this short life to find comfort and joy in simple things.  For me, today, that simple thing is a potato casserole that could always be found on the table at family gatherings at my grandparents' house.  I think it's my uncle's wife who made it first, but the recipe was shared and so the dish found its way into more and more homes.

My family is not so big on potatoes, but my friend's family more than makes up for what we lack in love for the root vegetable!  Small disclaimer: this is not health food!  It's a guilty indulgence that happens to feed a crowd very well with little effort.  The main ingredient, the potatoes, can be easily found in the freezer section of the grocery store.   For anyone wanting to cut their own potatoes, it's a small dice you're looking for.  Little cubes.   Here's the recipe. Share it, love it, and enjoy.   (and feel free to make healthier substitutions where you can)

Potato Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Mix the following in a large bowl:

32 oz (2lbs) Southern Style Frozen Hash Browns

16 oz Sour Cream
10 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Spread into a 9 * 12 baking dish.

Melt 1 stick of butter (8oz).  Add to the melted butter 2 cups Corn Flakes that have been crushed/crumbled and then spread on top of the potatoes.

Bake at 350 for an hour. 

A quick search for "potato casserole" on any recipe site (like www.allrecipes.com) will yield many variations on this recipe.

Click HERE for a printable version.

Recipe for Memaw's Casserole

I remember eating this casserole at my grandmother, Memaw's, house since I was young.  Now this dish is often requested at my own house from my children and husband! I sometimes make double to have an extra one in the freezer.

1 lb spaghetti, cooked according to directions
1lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 green pepper, chopped
3 pieces of garlic, chopped
1 small can mushrooms, or sautee your own fresh ones (we omit these b/c of the kids hating mushrooms)
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 T chili powder (not the spicy Indian kind, the mexican/american kind)
1 cup frozen peas

Sautee your onions, peppers, and garlic. Add the beef and brown. Drain. Add spices and salt and pepper to taste.  Add the tomato cans and let this simmer 20 minutes or more on low heat.  Add the peas, corn, and mushrooms and simmer a little longer.
 Add your cooked spaghetti to the ground beef mixture. 
In a long pyrex (9*13) put half the mixture down, top with 1 cup cheese, then put the other half over it.  Top with remaining cheese.  You can cover it and freeze it at this point or bake at 350 for 40 or so minutes until it's bubbly and the cheese is melted.