Hash Brown Potato Casserole

After trying this Hash Brown Potato Casserole different ways to make it "more" frugal, it didn't turn out quite the way my DH loves.  My mom would always make this casserole at all the holiday meals for years, and my DH always loved eating it! (Me too!)  So, I broke down, setting aside my frugal alternatives, and made it as she makes it.   This is indeed a family favorite!

Ingredients:
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese
6 cups frozen shredded potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 pan with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese until well mixed.  Then, stir in the shredded potatoes and place into the 9x13 pan.

Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until hot.

Garnish with chives or bacon bits as an option, or just plain is good as well.

Hash Brown Sausage Casserole

Wanted to bring something different to a brunch meeting with some friends.   The Hash Brown Sausage Casserole recipe is adapted from this Easy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole.  It was intended for me to take in the morning.  But, it smelled so good, that we ate it for dinner, instead.  Now, I have another one to make for tomorrow.  I was so proud of myself for being all prepared for tomorrow... It's alright, I've got plenty of potatoes to shred in my stash to use.

Ingredients:

1/2 diced onion

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup diced green chilies

1 lb sausage (use 1 cup)

4 cups thawed hash browns or homemade
3 cups shredded cheese
3 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Saute onions, peppers, and green chilies until cooked.  Then, cook the sausage with the veggies & drain the grease.  Toss the hash browns and shredded cheese with the sausage mix in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and salt, and then combine with the hash brown, cheese, and sausage.  Stir well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 9x13 pan with a non-stick cooking spray.  Pour mix into pan.  Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes, careful to not burn.

*I only used 1 cup of the sausage mix for this recipe to stretch it further.  But, other recipes use the full 2 cups.
*To make the homemade hash browns, just put 4-5 small potatoes through the shredder of a food processor.  Let soak in some lemon juice, to keep from turning brown.  Steam in microwave on "Baked Potato" button, about 7-10 minutes.
*To stretch my milk in baking/cooking, I'll dilute my 2% milk in half with water, 50:50.

Kid Tested & Approved