Hashbrown Casserole

Well, shame on me. I thought this recipe was on the blog since I've been making it for so long. Turns out, it's not. When making sugar bacon for my advisees years and years ago, I would make this copycat Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole to go with it. Another teacher once tried both the sugar bacon and the casserole and told me to start sprinkling the sugar bacon OVER the hashbrown casserole . . . To each his own.

I recently entertained a debate on salted vs. unsalted butter. So many cooks (bakers!) say to use unsalted, so you have more control over the salt. I respectfully disagree. Salt brings out the flavor in everything. If something calls for unsalted butter, I USE SALTED BUTTED ANYWAY and reduce the salt in the recipe by half. But why would you, why would you, why would you temper salt? It enhances baked goods, caramel, meat, vegetables . . . It's a non-negotiable with potatoes. (Sorry, Howard.)

1 bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns (This brand is my current go to.)

1 1/2 cups of shredded colby jack (or cheddar or whatever cheese you have)

1/4 cup SALTED butter

1/2 an onion, finely diced

8 oz. sour cream

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 T of garlic salt

3 green onions sliced (optional)

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~ Melt butter and braise onion on medium low for five minutes. Turn off heat.

~ Mix sour cream, cream of chicken, garlic salt, butter and onion mixture.

~ Toss potatoes in mixture.

~ Fold cheese into mixture.

~ Grease 9x13 Pyrex and press potato mixture into dish.

~ You CAN top with cheese, but I just dot with butter. I like tasting the potato more than the cheese.

~ Bake for 45 minutes. (An hour if you have doubled the recipe.)

~ If you want it very browned, you can low broil for five minutes.

~ Sprinkle with green onions if using. (I forgot them yesterday, and they are in Dede's refrigerator as I type this.)

This recipe also "freezes beautifully." Either put in the fridge the night before to thaw or bake for an hour with foil on for first thirty minutes.

When discussing this recipe, Dede mentioned her twice baked potatoes. It gave me the idea to add a packet of onion soup mix to this recipe . . . An experiment for next time . . .

Bonus recipe: In the picture above, you can see Nana's Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe!