Mom’s Potato Casserole
One of my favorite dishes that my mom makes every Thanksgiving and Christmas is potato casserole. I love this dish so much that my mom used to make it as my birthday cake instead of a traditional cake. Since I just had a birthday, it got me thinking about this casserole and how I won’t get any of it during the holidays this year since I’ll be in Australia.
I make this potato casserole every year, and I've made it so often that I have it memorized. First, you mix all the ingredients—the frozen hash browns, sour cream, shredded cheese, cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, diced onion, salt, and pepper—together in a big bowl. We use a white and green collapsible plastic bowl because all the normal mixing bowls are too small.
Once mixed, the ingredients come together into an off-white, tannish color. Although the color may not look appetizing, the mixture of sour cream, cream of mushroom, and pepper fills my nose as my mouth waters. I then spread the potato mixture into a 9x13 inch pan (we use a special pan that has little stick figures of our family, minus my older sister, on the lid).
Before you pop the casserole into the oven, you need to melt half a cup of butter (slowly, or else it will burn) and crush a cup of Cornflakes; I usually fill a quart-size Ziploc bag. I like crushing the Cornflakes because it lets me release some steam. You don’t need to crush them into dust, just enough so that the cereal looks like a bag full of crumbs.
I don’t know what it is about melted butter and crushed Cornflakes, but the combination smells like buttered popcorn—only better, which makes sense because both are made from corn. Once the butter and Cornflakes are mixed, spread a nice, even layer of Cornflakes on top of the casserole. You may or may not use all of the Cornflakes.
Then, throw the casserole into the oven for 50 minutes. Once it’s done, you’ll be hit with the scent of cheese, sour cream, and buttered Cornflakes—it smells heavenly. You need to let it cool, but then it’s ready to eat.
Once you get your first scoop, you’ll notice its creaminess. That first bite will change your life, because I know it changed mine. This potato casserole has been the center of many birthdays, Thanksgivings, and Christmases, and I hope I can share this wonderful dish when I go to Australia.
Potato Casserole
Preheat the oven to 350°.
32 oz. pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 pint sour cream
½ c. chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Spread into a 9x13 pan.
1 c. corn flakes
½ c. melted butter
4. Mix corn flakes and melted butter
5. Sprinkle on top
6. Bake for 50 minutes.
