Potato Dishes

Here are my mother's 'Sour Cream Potato Casserole' and two sweet potato dishes. The Sour Cream Potato Casserole was often served with ham dinners but always at holidays - especially at Christmas and Easter.

Sour Cream Potato Casserole

From the kitchen of Carolyn Brugger

Serves 10

1 16 ounce package frozen hash browns

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 pint sour cream (low fat or non-fat work well in this recipe)

2 cups corn flake crumbs

2 Tablespoons butter

1. Toast the corn flake crumbs in the butter in a frying pan

2. Mix hash browns, cream of chicken soup (undiluted), milk, and sour cream, together - combining well.

3. Spread in a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with toasted corn flake crumbs.

4. Bake at 300 for an hour - until edges are bubbly and brown.

Notes: This recipe originally had 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese added to the hash brown mixture but we like it better without. I have also made it with cream of mushroom soup when it has

been the 'the morning of' and no stores are open and I realize that is all I have. No one has noticed.

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I know that not everyone likes Sweet Potatoes or Yams but I do. I don't think it is quite the holidays without them. Here are a couple of recipes that I use quite often that are really good.

Candied Yams

Serves 6

1 can Yams or Sweet Potatoes

1/4 cup butter

1/2 bag miniature marshmallows

1 cup brown sugar

Drain yams and discard the liquid. Cut the yams so they are all an even size. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the yams in the cooking spray. Sprinkle liberally with the brown sugar. Dot with the butter. Sprinkle with the marshmallows. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until marshmallows melt and liquid is bubbly.

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Here is another one I have used. It is very rich!

Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

Serves 10

1/2 firmly packed brown sugar, divided

2 Tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 Tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix 1/4 brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Add sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Dot with 2 Tablespoons butter. Cover and bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are slightly tender. (A knife will not go through easily but can go through the potato.)

Meanwhile, mix flour, remaining brown sugar, and remaining pumpkins pie spice in a medium bowl. Cut in the remaining butter with fork until crumbly (or toss in a food processor until it forms a coarse crumb). Stir in the pecans and marshmallows.

Removed the casserole from the oven and stir gently to coat the potatoes in the syrup. Top with the marshmallow crumb topping. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and marshmallow topping is golden brown.

Notes: If you would like to, you can cook the sweet potatoes until they are completely cooked, then whip them with sour cream, put them back in the baking dish and top them with the marshmallow pecan topping. What are few 100 more calories at the holidays! But I have to say it is sure good!

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Things I am thankful for: people that answer my blogs and set me straight (even if I was just repeating what I had learned), the media that lets me stay close to my family, The Dittmar's - for the good example they are in my life.