66 years....

This weekend we are celebrating my husband's parents 66th year anniversary.  That is a huge thing....they both made it thus far together, they got married very young, they still love each other.  They have had several major bumps in the last 5 years, cancer, lack of mobility, a move from their house of 55 years to a new place close to their kids and grand-kids.  So they have seen a lot and they have lived a lot.

We are having a big family get together on Saturday with as many as can come and a big dinner.  I am making a huge salad and the typical potato casserole....only mine will be a little different.  I just can not dump a can of cream of whatever soup into it.  I am not condemning, but there has to be a better way, more healthy and free of chemicals.  Watching The Pioneer Woman this last weekend helped me find my way!  She made a green bean casserole without the soup and it looked yummy.  Her youngest said it was the best ever, he is like 8.  So this is the recipe I have come up with.

Potato Casserole

This is an old standby, tasty, easy, and ready in no time.

 

2 lbs of frozen hash browns, thawed

½ c melted butter

1 t. of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 can of cream of chicken soup

2 c shredded cheese

½ c diced onion

2 c sour cream

2 c of crushed cornflakes mix with ¼ c of melted butter

Thaw potatoes, in a large bowl mix all the ingredients together, except the cornflakes.

Turn out into a 9x13 casserole dish, top with the cornflake mixture. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour.

I dislike cream of whatever soup, texture issue for me.  So I will make a cream base that can be used.

2 T. of flour

2 T. butter

½ c of good chicken stock

½ cup of whole milk or half and half

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a small sauce pan melt the butter, then add the flour till combined, cook for 1 minute.

Add your stock and milk and stir to combine and continue to cook till thick.  Season as needed. 

Use this in place of the cream soup, the taste will be far better and there really was little effort going into it.

I love this casserole, but I think this way it will taste even better.