It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and Destiny Christian Academy began the week by preparing breakfast for its teachers. Kris (the academy’s director) asked me to help her with the breakfast and specifically asked me to make a hash brown casserole. It seems like several of the teachers and staff really enjoyed this casserole the last time I made it. Actually, I think she wanted me to make it so she could take the leftovers home.
When I make this dish for them, I actually make two: one with pork sausage and the other with turkey sausage. If you’re looking for a good casserole recipe for a brunch or large breakfast, give this one a try. As Miss B would say, “It’s most delicious.”
I like spicy food, so if I was making this casserole just for me, I would use all hot sausage. But since I know that everyone does not like hot and spicy, I use one mild and one hot sausage. If you don’t like spicy at all, use all mild. When it comes to sausage brands, I prefer Tennessee Pride – this recipe actually comes from their website.
The first thing I do is prepare my baking dish with a cooking spray. The recipe calls for a 9” x 13” (or equivalent) baking dish. If you don’t usually prepare you baking dish, give it a try. It sure makes clean up a lot easier. No scrubbing or soaking, just wash, rinse and dry.
Brown your sausage
drain sausage on paper towels
combine sour cream, onion dip, soup, cheese and veggies
add hash brown potatoes and fold in
layer hash brown mixture and sausage
bake (I doubled the recipe)
This casserole can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, which is usually what I do. This is a lot of preparation for a dish made the morning of and served for breakfast. In addition, it gives the flavors a chance to meld.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds/rolls of sausage
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup
- 8 oz sour cream
- 8 oz french onion dip
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bag (30 oz) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
Directions
- Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray - set aside
- Cook sausage until browned, then drain on paper towels
- In a large bowl combine soup, sour cream, onion dip, bell pepper, cheese and salt & pepper - mix well
- Mix in thawed hash brown potatoes - mix well
- Spread half of the hash brown mixture over bottom of baking dish, then half of the sausage
- Repeat
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly and golden brown
Notes
Can prepare and refrigerate 1 day ahead
Valerie,
Thank you for illustrating this recipe in photos!
I cant tell you how often I am intimidated to try and prepare a dish but have questions about texture and feel so I surrender to my fear and dont even try.
I am going to try this recipe and let you know how it turns out!
Yours,
Chef in the making