Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole
Dorcas Annette Walker

I always use some type of a potato dish as a staple with nearly every meal. Today there are many varieties and ways to use potatoes. Somewhere along the way I got hooked on the ease of using frozen potatoes with a meal, especially in a pinch. Now-a-days I always keep French fries and hash browns handy in the freezer. Potato casseroles are ideal for church dinners as they are simple to warm up and you don’t have to worry about the texture changing like mashed potatoes. I loved my first taste of a Hash Brown Casserole and have experimented with different recipes since. My Hash Brown Casserole is similar to a scalloped potato casserole and has been mistaken for scalloped potatoes different times.

Originally the full name for hash brown potatoes was hashed brown potatoes, shortened to hash brown potatoes in 1945, and finally has become simply hash browns. Hash browns are potatoes that are diced, riced, shredded, or julienned then formed into cakes and pan-fried until brown. In many parts of the United States hash browns or pan-fried potatoes are considered a breakfast food. Sometimes a diced or chopped onion is added to improve the taste. I was amazed at all the recipes for hash browns that added carrots, radish, zucchini, and beets. I even found a recipe that used sweet potatoes to make hash browns. No wonder the volume of frozen potatoes consumed today is now larger than the volume of fresh potatoes. In 2005 the U.S. per capita use of frozen potatoes was 56 pounds compared with 45 pounds for fresh potatoes, 17 pounds for potato chips, and 16 pounds for dehydrated potato products.

My Hash Brown Casserole is a filling, creamy, potato dish that goes well with any meat or vegetable. Preparation time for the Hash Brown Casserole is ten to fifteen minutes and this recipe made in a 9 x 12 baking dish serves twelve to fifteen. The potato casserole can be made the day or night before and popped into the oven when ready to use.

Hash Brown Casserole

1 pkg hash browns
1 small onion diced or 1 tb dried onion
2 c cheddar cheese shredded
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
2 cans cream of celery soup

In a large bowl:
Crumble thawed hash browns (may quickly defrost hash browns in microwave). Mix in onion and shredded cheese. Add the container of sour cream, the two cans of celery soup, and two cans of milk. Mix together thoroughly and pour into buttered 9 x 12 baking dish. Cover and bake at 350º for one hour.

Dorcas Annette Walker is a freelance writer, author, columnist, and photographer from Jamestown, TN. If you have any cooking tips or favorite recipes you are welcome to contact me by email at: dorcaswalker@yahoo.com. For more information about the Walker family and Dorcas’ books check out her website at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com or htpp://dorcasannettewalker.blogspot.com for other Creative Mountain Cookin recipes.