Good morning ya’ll. This hash brown casserole is so creamy, so cheesy, so perfect by itself- it can be a side dish or a main dish all on its own. Serve it for a Sunday brunch or enjoy it for dinner- who cares? It’s delicious anytime you want it.

• 2 pounds frozen hash browns, thawed

• 1/2 cup butter, softened and not melted

• Two 10oz cans of cream of chicken soup

• One 8 oz container of sour cream

• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cups grated cheddar cheese

• 1 TBSN salt

Sharp knife, 11x14 lasagna or casserole pan, large mixing bowl, cooking spoon, measuring cup, cooking spray Prep: 15 min to prep, 10 min to cool Cook: 60 min baked in oven Ready: 85 min Serves: 12 side servings

Before you handle any food, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Clean your kitchen work area and pull back your hair or wear a cap. You want to avoid contaminating your meal with harmful bacteria that could cause food illness.

To make Southern Hash Brown Casserole:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. 2. Spray 11 x 14 inch casserole or lasagna pan with cooking spray.

3. In large mixing bowl, add potatoes, sour cream, and soup. Stir to completely mix and saturate potatoes.

4. Add chopped onion and 2 cups of sour cream.

5. Add salt and softened butter last. Stir to mix.

6. Spoon mixture into greased baking pan and spread out evenly.

7. Sprinkle last cup of cheese on top.

8. Bake uncovered for 60 minutes until top is golden brown. 9. Allow to cool for ten minutes and serve.

1 serving: 160 calories, 10g fat (0 saturated fat), 46mg cholesterol, 520mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 5g protein.

Potatoes contain nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana. Potatoes are also a good source of vitamin B6, magnesium and antioxidants. Yellow onion helps to strengthen immunity, as well as preventing cancer. They have great detoxifying properties, aids in antioxidant production and healthy digestion. Sour cream is a great source of protein and calcium for boosting bone health. It also is a great source of riboflavin, phosphorus and vitamin B-12.

Side Dish pairing:Breakfast Egg Muffins, bacon, toast

Vegan and vegetarian. Use vegan-friendly butter, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese. See Country Hash Brown Casserole below. Kick the GLUTS by using sour cream that does not have gluten additives. Canned concentrates of Cream of Chicken Soup contains gluten so be sure to find a gluten-free alternative or recipe for gluten-free cream of chicken soup.

Pump up the protein with adding meat ingredients and additional cheese. See Cowboy Breakfast Casserole below. HERE ARE VARIATIONS OF THE BASIC RECIPE:

Ballpark Sausage Hash Brown Casserole Chop two cups of cooked Italian sausage, and add to the mixing bowl. Chop a green and red bell pepper and add to mixture. Add cup of sliced mushrooms to mixture Top with ketchup and Spicy Beer Mustard upon serving.

Country Hash Brown Casserole

Chop 1/2 cup of red bell pepper, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes well drained and add to mixing bowl along with onions. Top with a heaping TBSN of mild salsa or sour cream upon serving.

Cowboy Hash Brown Casserole

Add 1 cup of diced country or Virginia ham. Add 1 cup of medium-cooked chopped sirloin steak into mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of diced red and green peppers. Serve hot with a heaping TBSN of BBQ sauce on top upon serving.

Mushroom Feta Hash Brown Casserole

Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms into mixing bowl. Top with Feta cheese upon serving.