Paula Deen's Hash Brown Potato Casserole

Hashbrown casserole was not something I had ever had until moving to Tennessee. But how to make potatoes even better than by adding butter, sour cream, and cheese? Now, I know that using condensed cream of ___ soups is considered pretty declasse in food circles, but sometimes you just have to own it. There were a lot of things that I had to turn a blind eye to in this casserole, like the two cups of sour cream, but let's not pretend like we all eat like this all the time. It's an indulgence, so treat it like such. It is also delicious - rich, creamy, and decadent. Just make sure you send the leftovers home with your guests.

Paula Deen's Hash Brown Potato Casserole

source: Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics
Serves 10-12

Ingredients

2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes

4 cups grated Cheddar cheese (I reduced this to about 3 cups.)

1 10 1/2 oz can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsps The Lady's House Seasoning (salt, black pepper, and garlic powder)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, the soup, sour cream, butter, onion, and House Seasoning. Place in a buttered 13X9 inch pan and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Varation: Instead of topping the casserole with cheese, you may use 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers mixed with a 1/2 cup melted butter.