Funeral Potatoes...aka Potato Casserole

No, you don't have to wait for a funeral to eat these (thank goodness :). I think they got the name because of the likelihood of being found at the luncheon after a LDS funeral :). My brother loved these potatoes along with all the other funeral food. I really think that was the reason he went to funerals (just kidding). So when he past away a couple of years ago, we made sure there was all of his favorites, especial funeral potatoes.

They are actually a favorite of many of our family members. Hope you enjoy this recipe also. To make it a complete meal and not just a side, add cooked diced ham or chicken to it before heating. This is also a great food storage/pantry dish recipe. I can put this together with things I always have in my pantry. (IE. dehydrated potatoes, onions, canned meat, frozen butter and cheese, canned soup, salt and pepper, cereal.)


Funeral Potatoes (Aka potato casserole)

2 lbs. hash browns
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom, celery etc.)
1 pt. sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups grated cheddar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup melted butter

Grate cooked potatoes, thaw shredded hash browns or reconstitute dehydrated hash brown.

Combine butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mix into hash browns. Put into a 3 quart casserole dish.

Meanwhile in a medium sauté pan, on medium heat, melt butter and sauté cornflakes in it till golden brown. Sprinkle on top of casserole.

Cover casserole and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Hilda's Gordito

Growing up in Las Vegas there has always been those restaurants that as a local, you loved. Most of the ones I grew up with are no longer around. Wimpy's, Hilda's, Papa Gars, Alpine Village. They are just a few of the places that were great, but for one reason or another are now gone, along with their recipes. For years my oldest sister has been 'cloning' some of our favorite recipes from these long ago restaurants. This one is from Hilda's. Hilda retired, sold her restaurant and the new owners didn't pan out. The Gordito that Hilda made was amazing. It was a family favorite. We've never found anywhere that comes close to the same thing.

So for any of you Hilda Gordito fan's out their. This is as close to the original as you can get!


Gordito
(These used to be served by Hilda’s in North Las Vegas. I think they may have been a little hotter, so I sometimes add a bit of cayenne to the mixture.)


2 pounds lean ground beef
1 can (4 ounce) green chilies, diced
1 can (16 ounce) tomatoes, run through food processor
2 cups re-fried beans
2 cups pinto beans, cooked
1 large bottle taco sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, minced
9 corn tortillas
1 pound Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
lard for softening tortillas
3 pie plates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic, drain. Add the tomatoes, taco sauce, re-fried beans, pinto beans, and green chilies. Mix and let simmer 15 minutes. Put enough of the meat mixture in the bottom of a pie plate to keep tortilla from sticking while baking. Cook tortillas in lard a little more than just softening, drain on paper towels. Place on top of meat mixture in pie plate and add more meat mixture to top of tortilla to cover. Add some shredded cheese to cover. Continue to layer ending with meat and cheese on top. Do this with all three pie plates. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Top with sliced green onions.