Recipe of the Week: Hash Brown Casserole

I loved Cracker Barrel the first time I stepped foot in one, on the morning of November 27, 1982. It was a memorable breakfast preceding my first-ever UT football game. Unfortunately, it was one of only five games the Vols have ever lost to their in-state rival, the Vanderbilt Commodores (it's only happened once since, in 2005.)  I still love Cracker Barrel, despite our rocky start.

One of my favorite dishes is their hash brown casserole.  I've been known to order a double-portion as part of a "vegetable plate" (I know, potatoes shouldn't count as a vegetable, let alone TWO vegetables, but it's worth the occasional splurge.)

I've tried many recipes that claimed to taste "just like Cracker Barrel's" casserole, and I always came up short, until someone clued me into this simple and wonderful version. It is a perfect dish for a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch, especially at the holidays.

Hash Brown Casserole Just Like Cracker Barrel's

Ingredients:
1 32-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns
1 onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.  Spray or grease a deep-sided 9x13 baking dish (I like my big deep Pyrex "French White" casserole dish, but you can use any dish deep enough to hold the potatoes.)
Saute onion in butter.  Place frozen hashbrowns in dish, toss in softened onions.  Use a spoon and scoop the undiluted soup over the casserole; toss well (it won't seem evenly distributed but do the best you can.)  Sprinkle on cheese and toss once more to mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle with pepper (you can also season with salt, but I don't think it needs it.)

Cover with foil and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until edges are crisp and center potatoes are cooked through.  Remove foil and allow to bake another 5-10 minutes to brown on top.  Serve warm.  Makes 6-8 generous servings.

Note:  I have made this casserole the day before and refrigerated it overnight.  The baking time is approximately the same, since the potatoes will have completely thawed.


Happy breakfasting!

Recipe of the Week: Potatoes Au Gratin

If you've perused my Wednesday recipes, you've probably noticed a steady theme (stream?) of carbohydrates running through my favorites.  What can I say?  I love my breads, sweets and starches.  But in the balance, I run almost daily, keep my weight in the healthy range and my last blood workup revealed perfect scores on my cholesterol and blood-sugar levels.  (Our diet is also rich in beans, which are known to be good guys for those battling diabetes.)

We visited Las Vegas a few years ago on Spring Break.  We ate in the rotating "Top of the World"  restaurant above the Stratosphere.  The view was spectacular, and the food was yummy.  Their signature Potatoes Au Gratin, with gorgonzola, parmesan, provolone and romano cheese, was particularly noteworthy.

I've never found "their" recipe, but I've found a similar recipe that we like a lot and modified it to incorporate a blend of cheeses.  If you've made potatoes au gratin, you've probably discovered it is difficult - if not impossible - to get the potatoes in the middle to cook without overcooking or curdling the sauce.  But this recipe will yield perfectly done potatoes every time, because it cheats:  you parboil the potatoes first, then heat through just enough to get everything bubbling hot.

Potatoes Au Gratin

Ingredients:
3 cups diced cooked potatoes (with or without skins); drained
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (not the stuff in the plastic shaker jar)
1/2 cup diced or grated soft cheese (soft mild fontina is my favorite, but provolone, Monterey Jack or mozzarella can be substituted)
1/4 cup crumbled feta, blue or gorgonzola cheese
1 cup soft bread crumbs

Directions:
Grease au gratin pan or 1-quart casserole dish.  Add still-warm potatoes to pan and set aside.   In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter; pour half into a cup or bowl and set aside.  Add flour to the remaining 3 tablespoons and stir well; allow to bubble into a light roux.  Gradually add milk, whisking constantly.  Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened - make sure there are no lumps.  Add cheeses and stir until they begin to melt.  Pour sauce over potatoes in baking dish; mix gently to coat.  Combine butter with bread crumbs and sprinkle over potatoes.  Bake about 15 minutes to heat through; switch to broil and broil just until golden and bubbly on top.  Serves 4.

This recipe can be doubled for a crowd, and the lineup of cheeses can be changed to suit your preferences (and what you have on hand.) But don't shy away from the blue cheese if you're worried about it overpowering the dish...there's just enough there to add a hint of pungent flavor that even blue-cheese haters will enjoy, without the "bite" they don't.

Happy cooking!