Three tasty side dishes for your Easter gathering

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Timely is an understatement for our triple recipe windfall today, which comes to us courtesy of Everett cook Terry Brundage. The longtime Forum helper-outer antes up yet again, this time writing, “With Easter coming, I was thinking people might be looking for some recipes to serve at their Easter dinners.

“These are three of my favorites. I’ve been making the cheesy mashed potatoes for over 30 years, but the hashbrown casserole is new to me. For anyone who has traveled to the South and eaten at a Cracker Barrel restaurant, these taste like their hashbrown casserole, though I like these better myself. I use this recipe for both brunch and dinner.”

Terry says the cheesy mashed version can be made a day ahead and then heated when needed, although they’ll probably take some additional oven time.

Next, touching on the dolled-up cauliflower, she tells us, “I received this recipe from a friend, Jane Johnson, who received it from her father-in-law, Tom Johnson. I didn’t like to eat cauliflower before I discovered this, but I enjoy it now.”

Cheesy mashed potatoes

8 medium potatoes

Water

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 small carton (8 ounces) sour cream

1 cube butter (1/2 cup), softened

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Peel potatoes and cook in boiling water until soft. Drain and mash with an electric mixer. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, butter, garlic salt and salt and pepper to taste and beat until fluffy. Turn into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees 1 hour. Sprinkle with the cheese 10 minutes before baking time is up.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note: Can be made a day ahead.

Better than the Barrel’s hashbrown casserole

2 pounds shredded, frozen hashbrowns

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 pint sour cream

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups grated cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups crushed cornflakes

1/4 cup butter, melted

Defrost hashbrowns. In a large bowl, combine the 1/2 cup melted butter, soup, sour cream, onion, cheese, salt and pepper. Add the thawed hashbrowns and mix well. Turn into a suitable casserole dish.

Mix the crushed cornflakes with the remaining 1/4 cup butter. Sprinkle over the hashbrowns, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cauliflower with sauce

1/4 cup water

1 head cauliflower, leaves trimmed, but left whole

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place water in a microwaveable dish. Place cauliflower in dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 12 to 15 minutes. Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard and salt; uncover cauliflower and spread over the top. Sprinkle cheese on top and microwave on high for 1 to 11/2 minutes, until the cheese melts.

The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.