Easy Hash Brown Casserole

This casserole is not for a dieter, but for those who live life to the fullest and are carefree about things like calories, fat, or sodium.  Easy Hash Brown Casserole is unapologetically the best casserole you’ll ever eat!

Whenever I think of Easy Hash Brown Casserole, I think of my sister and her family.  A few years ago, her husband took a one-year culinary program between jobs and in that one year, he created some of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever had the privilege to taste.  Easy Hash Brown Casserole was one of them, although, he called them funeral potato casserole.

I know that funeral potato casserole is a real recipe, and it derives its name from, well, a funeral.  Since the potatoes, which are in casserole form, are the ultimate comfort food, they are a great dish to bring to the home of someone who has just experienced a loss.

In my opinion, all casseroles are comforting, but this particular casserole is even more so.  The at-home cook, in this case me and you, will no doubt take comfort in the fact that we don’t need to chop two pounds of potatoes into a very small dice.  We can also marvel in the fact that we can combine the ingredients, pour them in a casserole dish, sit back, and let the magic happen.

The person who gets to eat our Easy Hash Brown Casserole will experience several emotions.  First and foremost, they will experience this euphoria of pleasure as these millions of food-loving pleasure sensory organisms go flooding throughout their bodies, pushed by the brain to every extremity.  (Too much?)

Taste buds will be tickled and delighted.  A feeling of happiness and contentment will overtake the taster.  Joy and peace will be the next feelings to emerge; followed by fulfillment and tranquility.  Do you see, Dear Reader, the power of a good potato casserole?

I may have stretched the truth, and my writer’s training may have taken over my body and mind, but I’m sure I was able to drive home to general idea.  Whenever I eat these potatoes, I can completely understand why they were given the name funeral potatoes, because I always feel completely comforted and soothed by them.

If you really think about it, all comfort foods have a few things in common.  They are usually rustic and not pretentious or high-ended at all.  They can usually be eaten with your fingers or only one utensil.  They are usually high in calories and fat.  Oh, and there has got to be high levels of sodium and lots and lots of carbohydrates.  I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

Here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen, you can find other casseroles that might fit the comfort-food bill for you too. If you like a good casserole as much as I do, you should try my Leftover Turkey Casserole with Biscuits, or my Corn and Broccoli Brown Rice Casserole, or lastly, my Make Ahead Creamy Vegetable Casserole – my personal favourite!

One more thing, it wouldn’t be fair of me to just end things here and not let you know that if you are so inclined, you can lighten things up a bit by changing the ingredients for more health-conscious versions.  For example, you can use low fat or fat free sour cream, you can use unsalted butter, you can also use low fat cheese.  There’s no steadfast rule that states you have to use full fat ingredients.

The result will be the same.  The taste will still be great.  And, whomever you made this for – someone who you really care about that needs a little pick-me-up, or yourself and family – will be exceptionally comforted by the deliciousness that is this Easy Hash Brown Casserole.

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