Sausage & Hashbrown Casserole with make ahead options

Although this is not a make ahead casserole as such, the various components can be prepared and assembled as a meal kit  . . . so all that needs to be done at the last minute is to assemble and bake.

To prepare the casserole as a make-ahead meal kit:

*Fry the sausage and onions; refrigerate.

* Add eggs, half and half, salt & pepper to a quart jar and shake.

*Shred & measure cheese. 

 

Sausage & Hashbrown Casserole     About 8 servings

1 pound pork sausage

1/2 to 1 onion, finely diced

6 eggs

2 cups half and half or whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 of a 15 oz. package frozen hashbrowns (do not thaw)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese shredded 

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Crumble sausage into a skillet on the stove and brown completely; add diced onion near the end of the cooking period and cook until onions become transulent. 
3. In a large bowl, mix eggs and half and half together and whisk well
4. Add salt and pepper to this mixture and stir.
1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
5. Spray a  7 ½ x 10” baking dish and then add  frozen hashbrowns, sausage, and cheese.  Cover with foil.
6. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the hashbrown mixture. 
7. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutues  covered with foil. Remove the foil and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes more until the dish is bubbly and cheese is melted. 


   

   Above: Casserole ready to go into the oven.
   Below: A simple Christmas morning brunch: Sausage & Hashbrown Casserole, Kringle & Tangerines. 

 

Crock Pot Dump Potato Soup

Usually Barry makes the Kirby House’s Loaded Baked Potato Soup that uses a mashed potato base and is finished with twice-baked potato toppings — it’s comfort food in a bowl! However, sometimes it’s nice to have a quick and easy dump recipe, especially one that is packed with flavor . . . as in this one that Mary Amess shared with us. The recipe called for adding about 1 ½ ounces of cooked bacon to the soup as it cooks – I just used it, along with sliced green onions and grated cheese as toppers. 

Crock Pot Dump Potato Soup 

1 (28 to 30 oz. bag frozen diced hash browns (the Potatoes O’Brien variety with onions and red and green peppers)

1 (32 oz.) box chicken broth

1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (8 oz.) block (full-fat) cream cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Toppers: cooked bacon, chopped / grated Cheddar cheese / sliced green onions 

1. Put potatoes in crock pot. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt and pepper. (Original recipe adds 1 1/s oz. of cooked and chopped bacon at this point.)
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
3. An hour before serving, cut cream chees into small cubes and add to soup. (It takes awhile to melt so I’ll add it sooner next time.) Stir a few times to mix.
4. Load with toppers for serving.

   

   Ingredients are added to the crock pot and then the soup cooks low and slow all day. 

   
   

Crispy Potato Crust Quiche

Forget about making traditional  pie crust. You don’t need it for this unique quiche. And the bonus is that you have potatoes, eggs and meat (if you add it) all in one dish! This recipe comes from Jane Medina as adapted from Creme de Colorado, p. 115 with a few additional adaptations on my part.

I often keep the prepared and baked crusts on hand; they freeze well. 

Crispy Potato Quiche    6 servings

1 (24-oz(. pkg. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed (use as much as needed depending on size of pie pan

1/3 cup melted butter

1  cup shredded hot pepper cheese (Monterey Jack with jalapenos or substitute plain 

Monterey Jack)

1 cup shredded Cheddar (or Colby) cheese

1 small (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

1 cup diced ham (or use bacon, sausage, etc,) - optional

1/2 cup half-and-half+

2 to 3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt or Tex-Joy seasoning

1. Press thawed hash browns between paper towels to remove moisture. Fit hash browns into greased 10” pie plate, forming a solid crust.  
   
   
   
2. Brush crust with melted butter, making certain to brush top edges.  
   
3. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven.  
   
4. Sprinkle cheeses, chilies, meat (if using) evenly over bottom of baked crust. 
   
5. Beat half-and-half with eggs and seasoned salt.  
6. Pour over cheeses and ham (add more half-and-half and eggs if needed to fill pan).  
7. Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow 5 or 10 minutes cooling time so it will set up.

Recipe without photos  . . .

Crispy Potato Quiche    6 servings

1 (24-oz(. pkg. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed (use as much as needed depending on size of pie pan

1/3 cup melted butter

1  cup shredded hot pepper cheese (Monterey Jack with jalapenos or substitute plain 

Monterey Jack)

1 cup shredded Cheddar (or Colby) cheese

1 small (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

1 cup diced ham (or use bacon, sausage, etc,) - optional

1/2 cup half-and-half+

2 to 3 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt or Tex-Joy seasoning

1. Press thawed hash browns between paper towels to remove moisture. Fit hash browns into greased 10” pie plate, forming a solid crust.  
2. Brush crust with melted butter, making certain to brush top edges.  
3. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven. 
4. Sprinkle cheeses, chilies, meat (if using) evenly over bottom of baked crust.  
5. Beat half-and-half with eggs and seasoned salt.  
6. Pour over cheeses and ham (add more half-and-half and eggs if needed to fill pan).  
7. Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow 5 or 10 minutes cooling time so it will set up.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole -- original & adapted so it's more of a made from scratch dish

Cheesy Potato Casserole made by
Keely Meade for the Parents as Teachers
pot-luck holiday meal.

Keely Meade brought this creamy, cheesy casserole to a Parents as Teachers holiday pot-luck dinner and it was delicious.  I am including her recipe  + providing some suggestions on how to give it more of a "made from scratch" spin.  It is delicious either way!

Read more about the event where these potatoes were served — Abilene Kansas App News Center: Favorite Dishes Parents as Teachers Pot-Luck Dinne...: Just a few of their FAVORITE DISHES by Meta West  Tables laden with turkey and crisp apple strudel Plates full of beans...

Original Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole      Makes a 9x13-inch casserole.

10 cups (32 oz. pkg.) frozen shredded hash browns

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons butter

1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup

12 ounces sour cream

½ cup milk

½ cup chopped green onions

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup crushed corn flakes 

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Melt ¼ cup butter and pour into 9x13-inch baking dish, then add 5 cups of frozen hash browns.
3. In separate bowl, mix soup, sour cream, milk, and green onions; then pour half of this mixture over hash browns. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese on top.
5. Add remainder of hash browns and pour remainder of mixture on top, salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, then cover with crushed corn flakes.
7. Drizzle two tablespoons melted butter over mixture and bake for 60 minutes.

Options that could be utilized for more of a "made from scratch" spin . . .

• Instead of frozen hash browns, peel and grate russet potatoes. One average potato yields about 1 cup of grated hash browns. Note: Be sure to grate potatoes right before you need them and to rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove some of the starch. If you don't do this, the freshly grated potatoes may turn a grayish color as they cook.

  

  Use your food processor to grate the potatoes.

• Instead of using canned condensed soup, make flavored cream sauce using the recipe on our blog—Basic White Sauce. To get a chicken flavor, substitute chicken broth for all or part of the milk.

  

  Chicken broth flavored cream (white) sauce mixed with sour cream, milk and green onions.

• If you don't have corn flakes on hand, try using panko bread crumbs for another crunchy topping.

  

  Panko-topped Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole.