Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Recipe: Hashbrown Casserole

This recipe makes an easy breakfast casserole using things you probably already have around the kitchen... you can prepare in advance and either just wake & bake or freeze it for future! Works as tasty side dish for meal; it pairs especially well with ham!

Casserole:
  • One bag frozen shredded hashbrowns
  • One can cream of chicken soup, (other cream/soup works just as well)
  • A handful of shredded cheese, (I prefer cheddar but anything works)
  • about 2 or 3 Tablespoons of Sour Cream
  • Splash of milk, if you have it
  • a regular cereal bowl full of diced veggies, (I like to use assorted bell peppers, mushrooms and a white onion)
Topping:
  • about 1 Tablespoon of butter or margarine
  • 1 or 2 cups of dry cereal, (I like to use Total Corn Flakes with dried cranberries. My Mum likes to use a mixture with corn flakes, shredded wheat pieces and dried fruit. You can use whatever cereal you have handy. If you don't have anything, you can use crackers that you crush and sprinkle on top, but don't add butter.)
Set oven to 350-degrees.

To start, dice the veggies and set them in a bowl. You can use whatever you have or whatever you like. Diced means they are about 1cm by 1cm - imagine the size you would see in Fried Rice.

Then, take a oven-safe glass or metal dish, (8x8 is a good size to aim for, but again - whatever you have should work, although if you use a big one you might have to double the recipe).

Start mixing the ingredients in the baking dish.
  1. Add the hashbrowns first. If they are still frozen & stuck together, warm them in microwave at half-power for 30-seconds, then check. Break the frozen potatoes apart using your hands, then warm for another 30 seconds, if needed. BE CAREFUL not to cook them, you just want to thaw them. If you are baking in a glass dish, you can microwave them in there, but obviously don't put a metal pan in the microwave.
  2. Add the concentrated Soup, but don't add water.
  3. Add the sour cream.
  4. Stir using a spoon or spatula.
  5. Add the Veggies.
  6. Stir.
  7. It should be a creamy mixture that isn't too runny. If the mixture looks too firm, add a splash of milk. If you aren't sure, don't bother.
  8. Spread the mixture around the dish so it is even- this will ensure it bakes evenly.
Prepare the Topping.
  1. Put the 1 or 2 Tablespoons of butter in the cereal bowl you used for the veggies.
  2. Microwave at half-power for 10-seconds, then check. Swirl it around to kinda stir it up. If needed, continue cooking on half-power in 10-second increments until melted. Be careful, butter cooks quickly and will splatter all over your microwave.
  3. When melted, remove from microwave.
  4. Add the cereal directly to the bowl.
  5. Stir with a clean metal spoon until the butter is absorbed into the cereal.
Sprinkle the Topping over the casserole.
Insert baking dish in center of oven.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove casserole from oven and check to see if it's done by using a spoon to remove a small bite from the middle. Carefully taste it and see if its warm and yummy. If not, put in back in and check on it in 5 or 10 minutes. If it's done, bon appetit!

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