There’s something incredibly comforting about a dish of Scalloped Potatoes. It’s the epitome of simple, homestyle cooking. This recipe has been in my family for generations, and it’s always a hit at the dinner table. The potatoes, when baked with cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and a generous amount of Cheddar cheese, become irresistibly creamy and flavorful. The chopped chives add a subtle freshness to the dish, cutting through the richness of the sauce. I love this dish because it’s incredibly versatile. Serve it as a side dish with a roast or grilled chicken, or enjoy it on its own with a crisp, green salad. Plus, it’s easy to scale up or down, depending on how many you’re feeding. Trust me, once you’ve tried these Scalloped Potatoes, you’ll want to make them a regular feature in your meal rotation.
Ingredients
- 6 c. frozen hash brown potatoes
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 c. sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. chopped chives
- 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
Baking Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.
- Mix soup, sour cream and chives together.
- Layer in pan the potatoes, soup mixture and cheese.
- Repeat, ending with grated cheese on top.
- Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
Calorie: 350
Total cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Great Scalloped Potato Saga
Now, let me tell you about the time I attempted to whip up a dish of Scalloped Potatoes. I say “attempted” because, well, you’ll see.
The Ingredients Encounter
I started with the basics: 6 cups of frozen hash brown potatoes, 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of sour cream, 2 tablespoons of chopped chives, and 2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese. Doesn’t sound too hard, right? Wrong.
First of all, I had to wrestle the frozen hash brown potatoes out of the freezer. Those sneaky spuds had wedged themselves behind a hoard of forgotten pizza rolls and an ice cream tub. After a miniature avalanche, I finally emerged victorious.
The Mix-Up Mishap
Now, onto the next step. Mix the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chives together. Here’s where my overconfidence led to a bit of a mishap. I was so sure I was a pro at this that I decided to do a bit of a flair, like those fancy bartenders you see on TV.
With a wild spin, I sent cream of chicken soup flying across the kitchen, splattering onto the walls, the ceiling, and my horrified cat. After ensuring I didn’t need to rush my cat to therapy, I got back to work, this time with less theatrics.
Layering and the Lament of Cheese
Next was the layering of potatoes, soup mixture, and cheese in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. This should’ve been simple. But alas, my love for Cheddar cheese proved to be my downfall.
As I layered, I snacked. Layer, snack. Layer, snack. By the time I was ready for the final flourish of cheese on top, I found the cheese bag suspiciously light. In my cheese-induced bliss, I had eaten nearly half the cheese.
Oven Antics and the Wait
With a resigned sigh, I put my less-cheesy-than-intended Scalloped Potatoes into the oven at 350° and set the timer for an hour. This is the part of cooking where I usually get into trouble. I mean, what is one to do while waiting?
I decided to clean up my earlier soup explosion, which took longer than expected. In fact, it took exactly 59 minutes and 45 seconds. That’s right, I remembered I had something in the oven with just 15 seconds to spare.
The Final Product
I wish I could say that when I took the pan out of the oven, it was golden, cheesy perfection. It was… passable. However, my cat definitely seemed interested, so I considered it a success.
And that, my friends, is how not to make Scalloped Potatoes. It’s a tale of frozen hash brown potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chives, and a tragic lack of Cheddar cheese. But hey, at least I have a clean kitchen and a very entertained cat!
Who knew cooking could be such a saga? But don’t let my kitchen calamities deter you. Go forth, and may your Scalloped Potatoes be far less dramatic than mine!
