Funeral Potatoes

I just received a call from my dear friend Nancy who lives at the end of my street.  Nancy asked me if I have time to make a pan of Funeral Potatoes for a large family in our neighborhood.  The mother of this family is not feeling well.  Nancy is taking them a baked ham but does not have time to make the potatoes.  I told her that I would be happy to make the potatoes, and because they are so delicious, I decided to make a dish for myself.

I think that it is ironic that the first entry in my blog is for Funeral Potatoes.  Here in Utah they are a traditional Mormon side dish to bring to funerals, but they are also popular to serve for any occasion.  Many recipes for Funeral Potatoes call for canned cream of chicken soup.  I prefer to make a roux-based sauce instead of using the canned soup version.  Making the sauce from scratch makes this recipe definitely more uppity.  

Here is my recipe:

Funeral Potatoes

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon of salted butter

One 30 ounce bag of shredded or diced hash browns

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups mild or sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups corn flakes, crushed

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take hash browns out of the freezer.
2. Grease a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
3. In a large Dutch oven, melt the stick of butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until soft.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir to incorporate.  Continue to stir and cook for several minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
5. Whisk in the milk and continue to stir to eliminate any lumps.
6. Whisk in the chicken stock and stir until mixture is thickened. Season with the salt and pepper.
7. Remove Dutch oven from heat and stir in the cheese and sour cream.  Then add the hash brown potatoes and mix until combined.  Place in mixture into the baking dish.
8. Place the cornflakes in a plastic bag and crush slightly.
9. Melt butter in a small pan and pour over cornflakes; Toss to coat.   Sprinkle evenly over potatoes.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until bubbly.

Step-By-Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take hash browns out of the freezer.

Grease a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.  I am using a 10-by-14 inch oval dish.  Either size works fine.

In a large Dutch oven, melt the stick of butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until soft.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir to incorporate.  Continue to stir and cook for several minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Stir in the milk and continue to stir to eliminate any lumps.

Stir in the chicken stock and stir until mixture is thickened. Season with the salt and pepper.

Remove Dutch oven from heat and stir in the cheese and sour cream. 

Then add the hash brown potatoes and mix until combined.  Place in mixture into the baking dish.

Place the cornflakes in a plastic bag and crush slightly.

Melt butter in a small pan and pour over cornflakes; Toss to coat.   Sprinkle evenly over potatoes.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until bubbly.

Enjoy!