Hertitage Recipes / Mom's Potatoes
Having a hoard of cookbooks does not ensure a perfect outcome. A china cabinet full of crystal, a dry sink stocked with linens, and my aunt's silver won't change how the dinner tastes. Taken together with good company it might create a memorable meal.
We have been hosting quite a few holiday get togethers lately. We don't have the largest house but we are willing. I enjoy the logistics and planning. Mostly I like the excuse to have lots of pretty things. At my house we use the antique bowls and the hand wash only china. After all, it always feels special to use the "good" stuff and it's how I want my guests to feel.
Holiday traditions provide a framework for our memories. My Mother always said" Memories are what matter when you are old." I think she was right but I would add that memories matter now too. As I slip the turkey onto the platter I think of my friend Debbie who gave it to me. When I gather bowls for the vegetables I make sure I use one of Nana Moore's, one of Nana Blair's, and one of Aunt Ruth's, I am comforted by the repetition of the favorite stuffing recipe from our first Thanksgiving or my mother in law's blonde brownies. (I can't wait to tell you about that one!)
One Christmas brunch my Mom brought a potato casserole. Everyone loved it! The following Easter I thought it would be great with ham. It was. After it was requested for a birthday meal it became a tradition. I have other recipes but somehow it makes me feel like she is here -- at the gathering with everyone she loved. Mom's potato casserole, like the bowls and the silver, make the meal experience just a little better. You may not see "love " listed in the ingredient list but add it freely. Love and miss you, Mom.
Mom's Potato Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
32 ounce bag of frozen hash brown potatoes
1/2 cup melted butter
8 ounces of sour cream
10 ounce shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups of crushed corn flakes (these have gotten lost in our translation as we don't always have them on hand so we simply leave them out)
Combine all the ingredients except the corn flakes and 1/4 cup of butter .Spread into a 13x9 pan. Top with flakes and butter. Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Perfect for brunch or dinner.
