The holidays give us even more reason to bake cookies, make edible gifts, extend invitations to gatherings, and/or bring a dish to a potluck (yes, they are coming back!). These are just some of the ways we honor long standing traditions, express gratitude and love to family and friends, and create memories. From cocktail parties, to dinner parties, to breakfasts, brunches and luncheons, food and beverages usually take center stage. In "The Omnivorous Mind" John S. Allen captured the connection between food and memories perfectly: "We all have our food memories, some good and some bad. The taste, smell and texture of food can be extraordinarily evocative, bringing back memories not just of eating food itself but also the place and setting. Food is an effective trigger of deeper memories of feelings and emotions....." No wonder so many of us put even more love and thought into the food we make and serve during the holidays. Especially if we seek to create good, maybe even great memories.
Many of us have a favorite Cheesy Potato Casserole recipe. One we like to make for and/or bring to a barbecue, potluck, and/or holiday meal. If our beloved recipe is made with frozen diced hashbrowns, Velveeta cheese, and topped with crushed cornflakes we don't (or I should say I don't) often make it for an early or late morning breakfast (in spite of its' crushed cereal topping). But a Hashbrown Casserole, one using frozen shredded country-style hashbrowns and cheddar cheese but sans a cereal topping, is absolutely made for breakfast and/or brunch. Hence the name Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole.
More often than not, when having breakfast in a restaurant I ask them to hold the hashbrowns. However, after running a Turkey Trot in Nashville, Tennessee on Thanksgiving morning we wanted a good breakfast. Frothy Monkey (one of our favorites) was closed for the holiday so we headed over to the legendary Loveless Cafe (iykyk). Fortunately we got there just before the long waiting line started. As I looked at the menu something told me I should probably get the hashbrown casserole to go with my poached eggs, thickly sliced country ham, and fried green tomato biscuit (I was starving!). Whether that something was hunger or a post race carb craving, ordering a side of the hashbrown casserole turned out to be one of those 'best ever' decisions. In one bite I was hopelessly madly in love. And happy I didn't skip the hashbrowns this time.
Upon returning home from the trip to Nashville, I immediately ordered a copy of The Loveless Cafe cookbook, Not only did I want to get my hands on their insanely scrumptious banana pudding recipe, I wanted their hashbrown casserole recipe too. Fortunately the book contains both of them. With the exceptions of making significant reductions to the amount of salt and pepper, slightly increasing the amount the cheddar cheese used, and increasing the baking time, this Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole comes really, really, really close to replicating the flavor and texture of the one I ate on Thanksgiving morning.
If there was ever a dish to prove simplicity can sometimes be underrated, it would be this Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole. Slightly thawed country style (shredded) hashbrowns, sour cream, mild cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, a finely minced yellow onion, Kosher salt and pepper gets mixed together and baked in a lightly buttered skillet. Five ingredients, not including the Kosher salt and pepper, create such irresistible, craveworthy deliciousness, you might even be tempted to take a second helping. Trust me when I say you will not want to take a hard hashbrown pass, if a skillet of this Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole is set on the table.
Unlike other hashbrown casseroles where the cheese and butter can make you feel like you are eating a potato version of macaroni and cheese, the hashbrowns remain the star of the show in this one. The cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup don't smother the flavor of the potatoes, rather they elevate it.
Paired with some scrambled eggs and bacon (or if you are lucky enough to live in the South and have access to country ham), you have the makings of an unfussy, yet incredibly fabulous breakfast. Add some fresh fruit, biscuits or bagels, juice, and coffee and you suddenly have everything you need for a weekend or holiday brunch. This is easy, (almost) effortless entertaining at its' best!
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Recipe
Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole
Serves 8
Ingredients
30 ounce (850g) bag of shredded country style hashbrown potatoes, slightly thawed
1 medium sized yellow onion, finely minced
8 ounces (226) to 10 ounces (283g) shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese (highly recommend going with 10 ounces)
10 1/5 ounce (298g) can of cream of chicken soup
16 ounces (454g) sour cream
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons room temperature butter for preparing the baking pan/dish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. Take the bag of hashbrowns out of the refrigerator for 20 minutes prior to mixing the casserole so they become slightly thawed. You don't want your hashbrowns to be completely frozen.
3. Butter a 12" round cast iron skillet or a 9" x 13" baking pan with two tablespoons of room temperature butter. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, minced yellow onion, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until well blended.
5. Add in the slightly thawed hasbrowns. Mix well. Transfer to the prepared baking pan/dish.
6. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the top is browned and the casserole is cooked through. Serve immediately. Note: Begin checking for doneness at the 35 minute mark, especially if you are using a 9" x 13" (glass) baking pan.
Notes: (1) You can assemble the casserole the night before. Cover and refrigerate. Take it out at least 30 minutes before putting it in the oven. (2) I usually like to grate my own cheese rather than buy the package of shredded cheese, but the packaged shredded cheese worked perfectly.
Nashville, Tennessee (November 2022)
