Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

Are you like me? Do you like every aspect of the meals that you serve to your family, be then one or be they ten, delicious?
I try hard to make everything I serve on my plate delicious. Now there is only me that doesn't mean that I can't still create delicious foods for myself. I always aim for every main, side and dessert dish to be the tastiest possible.

Favorite Cheesy Potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes. Not in the least because they are very simple to make, but also because they are delicious.
A bit decadent perhaps, but this is the type of dish you want to serve on the side when you main dish is a bit lackluster. You want a side that will shine!
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

I can promise you that these cheesy potatoes do just that! This is a small batch recipe in that is makes four servings rather than 12. I hope that's okay!
Trust me, they are so rich and so decadent that you won't want to eat more than 1/4 of this recipe, but I promise you that you will enjoy each and every mouthful!
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

This recipe is a slight variation on my regular recipe for Funeral Potatoes. Funeral Potatoes are a wonderful dish that you will see served at many Potluck suppers here in North America.
I first tasted them about 30 years ago at a Potluck supper at the church I was then attending, Oh my but they were some delicious. I begged the recipe from the maker and have been making them ever since, with the odd variation.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

The original recipe used frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed. Today I have chosen to use boiled russet potatoes. For those of you who live in the UK, a russet potato is a type of floury baking potato.
They are usually much larger than regular potatoes and almost oval in shape. They have a nice floury texture when cooked, which makes them ideal for baking and mashing and for recipes such as this one.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

I used them in an attempt to cut back on some of the fat in the recipe. Just peel and cut them into 3/4 inch cubes. They are then par-poiled in lightly salted water.
You don't want to boil them completely or they will fall apart and that is not what we want for this. No worries, they will finish cooking in the oven.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

Another change I made was to use French Onion Dip rather than cream cheese. This adds a lovely richness to the dish, that is really delicious.
It also adds a nice onion flavor without having to add any onions. Easy peasy. Those are my main changes.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY POTATOES
There is really nothing too out of the ordinary needed to make these potatoes. Unless you consider the onion dip as being out of the ordinary.

Russet potatoes
condensed soup (undiluted)
sour cream
French onion dip
milk
cheddar cheese
seasoning
crispy salad onions (like French's French fried crispy onions, or in the UK, crispy salad onions

Generally speaking I use strong cheddar cheese, or sharp aged cheddar when I am cooking with cheese. I find it has so much more flavor then the milder cheese, which means you won't need to use as much to get the same flavor impact!
In other words, less is more! It does use tinned condensed soup, but I always have several tins in my larder and to be honest I am not a tinned soup snob.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

If you really dislike tinned soups, or if condensed tinned soups are not available where you are, you can substitute a homemade thick cream sauce for it.
Just make a 1/3 cup sized cream sauce, using 1/3 TBS butter, 1/3 TBS flour and 1/3 cup (80ml) of milk. You can also use half stock and half milk if you wish.
Melt the butter, whisk in the flour, cook for a minute, whisk in the milk and cook over moderate heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens. You can season to taste.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY POTATOES
When I say nothing could be easier than these, I really mean it. If you can open a can or two and stir things together then you can make these! Basically that is all you do. You par-cook the potatoes and drain them well. Whisk the sour cream, onion dip, soup, seasoning and 2/3 of the cheese together in a bowl and fold in the potatoes.
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

This mixture then gets spooned into a casserole dish, covered and baked. Once everything is heating through and the cheese is starting to melt, you uncover it and then top it with a bit more cheese and the crispy onions and bake for a tiny bit longer.
Just until it is thoroughly heated through, bubbling away and turning deliciously golden brown. Easy peasy. You do want to let it sit for a few minutes before serving however. Molten cheese can really give a nasty burn. Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

This is a delicious side dish that goes wonderfully with everything. Poultry, meat, fish, you name it! I have even served it with hotdogs (out of the buns).
In fact you can actually turn it into a delicious main dish by folding in some cubed ham or sliced hotdogs if you want to! Nobody will complain!
Favorite Cheesy Potatoes

Today I served it with some Shake and Bake Chicken wings I had done earlier in the summer and frozen, as well as some green beans. It was utterly delicious.
Of course I have leftovers to enjoy tomorrow, but that has never been a problem for me. I am a girl that loves Octobers, cooler weather, comfort foods and leftovers! Enjoy!