Make Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

• 10 potatoes (about 3 1/2 lbs)
• 1/2 lb cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 pinch dried marjoram
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup coarse fresh breadcrumb

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy.
2. Drain and let cool slightly, peel.
3. With a potato masher, mash until smooth, do not use an electric mixer, blend in cream cheese and butter until melted.
4. Mix in onions, sour cream, parsley, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer to 8 inch (2 L) baking dish, smooth top.
6. Sprinkle with crumbs, (Casserole can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 week. Let thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Add 10 minutes to baking time.) Bake in 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through and top is lightly golden.

Sweet Potato Pie

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

Unstuffing Side Dish

• 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups unseasoned stuffing croutons or dry bread cubes
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1. In a large skillet, brown sausage; drain. Add butter, mushrooms, celery and onion; saute 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. transfer to a large bowl; add croutons and enough broth to moisten. Place in a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

Au Gratin Potato Casserole

Prep: 10 min.; Bake: 1 hr., 20 min.
This is very quick to prepare and very easy. You can make it ahead of time, refrigerate it, and then bake it later. It's smart to let chilled casseroles come to room temperature before you bake them.


1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash browns (I used the kind with onions and peppers)
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup (Ryan hates mushrooms so I used cream of celery)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal (didn't have any cornflakes so I used breadcrumbs and just sprinkled them over the top)
1/4 cup melted butter

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.

Spoon potato mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with crushed cornflakes, and drizzle evenly with butter.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until bubbly.