Cheesy Hash Browns with Sour Cream

Plan Z Phase: This is a Z3.5 (ZReboot 3.5) recipe.

When I first started making this recipe I thought the cheese and the sour cream were the “bad” part. Now I know it was the potatoes. The cheese and sour cream and the yummy butter all combine forces to decrease the glycemic uptake of this potato dish.

Just keep in mind that potatoes are as special as dessert. I only eat them about 4x a year. For me, this casserole will serve at least 8 people.   In some households where there is no self-restraint it might serve 4! So be careful!

This is perfect for a buffet table. Everyone will rave about your contribution. If you want to keep the portions lower, consider serving this with a smaller spoon. That way people won’t take as much without having to notice that they are dipping into it several times. Just a little trick I use.

Servings: Serves 8

Ingredients: 

• 1 package (1 lb, 4 oz) of plain pre-prepared hash browns (Simply Potatoes is one brand). It would be healthier to shred your own but in this case I splurge a bit on a processed food.
• 2-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• sea salt, pepper and paprika

Instructions:

Melt butter and 2 cups of the cheese in a heavy sauce pan, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, pour in the potatoes, onions, and sour cream. Now mix in the cheese mixture and season with salt and pepper. Pour all into a 9-inch square baking pan sprayed with oil. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top along with the paprika. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees until bubbly.

These are really HOT when you take them out of the oven so be prepared to let them sit for a spell before you serve them. They are even good at room temperature on a buffet if they’ve been sitting for a while.

Enjoy!

Cheers,