For some reason, we Mormons come up with some of the most awful sounding food - Green Jello with Carrots being the prime example. I mean, seriously. Ew. I grew up on this potato casserole, but it wasn't until I went to college that I found out what it is called, at least by those in our Mormon culture. Seriously, who calls a potato casserole Funeral Potatoes? You see, it is a custom, similar to other faiths to bring food to a funeral. Everyone gathers, usually at a church, after the burial and we all partake in a giant potluck. And one of the most famous side dishes seen can be Funeral Potatoes - because this makes a large pan and can feed 10-12 people. So there you go, the story behind Funeral Potatoes. My family makes Funeral Potatoes at basically any family gathering - when feeding 40+ people at one time, big casseroles are a must. And Easter was a meal that we usually come together for. So it's become a tradition that I've brought into my own little family for Easter.
A traditional Funeral Potato casserole has yellow cheddar in it. I like to be a little more complicated though and use several types of cheeses that makes it ultimately a white casserole. Using several types of cheese gives the casserole a flavor depth and a little smokier taste. A little tip about the cheeses, it can be tedious and messy to grate gouda cheese. I cut my cheese into 4 parts, stick it in my food processor, and press pulse until the cheese is broken up into small chunks and resembles shredded cheese. I've told you all before, I am in total lurve with my Kitchenaid food processor. We are BFFs. Like, forever.
Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen shredded hash browns, defrosted
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
2 cups sour cream
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2-3 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup (8 oz.) sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup (8 oz.) smoked gouda cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup melted butter, divided into 1/4 cup each
1 cup corn flake crumbs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour hash browns into pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, green onions, parsley, cheddar cheese, gouda cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, and 1/4 cup of the melted butter. Pour mixture over the potatoes and gently fold together.
3. Combine remaining melted butter and cornflake crumbs in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornflake crumbs over the top of the mixture. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese over the cornflake crumbs. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes begin to bubble.
4. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serves 10-12
