Cheesy Potatoes

I'm pretty sure everyone has some version of this recipe. I've seen it with a variety of toppings, like corn flakes, potato chips or French fried onions. Most recipes are baked casseroles. I remember the first time I had a recipe like this. I was in middle school and we went to a family from church's house for New Years brunch. Mrs. Potts served this as a casserole with crushed corn flakes on top.

Do you have a special way to make cheesy potatoes?

Since that time, my mom found a similar recipe and used it for many years. She passed it on to me when she created a family cookbook for me around the time I graduated college. Since then, I have made a few changes to the recipe, which hopefully you enjoy.

I'm not going to post my mom's recipe on here but lets just say it calls for a full stick of butter, full fat cheese and full fat sour cream. I figured out the nutrition facts for it and each 1/2 cup serving provided:

215 calories
13.9 g fat
17.6 g carbohydrate
2.1 g fiber
5.5 g protein

Over the years, I have made a few changes to the recipe. In fact, now I was requested to bring this to my parents for Christmas. First big change is that I like to make it in the crock pot. I figure a lot of times this dish is used for special occasions when there is likely to be a lot of other pans going in and out of the oven. If I can decrease the oven traffic by one dish, then why not?

I also like to use the O'Brien potatoes which have diced onions and peppers in them for a little extra flavor. I also omit MOST of the butter, only using about a teaspoon. Lastly I use reduced fat (not fat free) versions of cheddar cheese and sour cream to further decrease the fat content.

Cheesy Potatoes - BETTER

1 tsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 bags O'Brien hash brown potatoes

Microwave butter and onion in microwave safe dish until onions are translucent.

Combine microwaved onions, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir until well combined. Add in both bags of hash browns and stir until well combined.

Pour mixture into large crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour. Turn to low and cook for addition 2-3 hours, stirring mixture occasionally to prevent browning around the edges.

Makes 18 servings. Each 1/2 cup serving provides:
134 calories
4.7 g fat
17.8 g carbohydrate
2.1 g fiber
5.3 g protein