You know those family casserole recipes from the era of Kraft and Campbell’s? We all have them, but most of those recipes require a hearty portion of processed ingredients.

This recipe was no exception. In the past, it was originally made using canned cream of mushroom soup, canned cream of chicken soup, and hashbrowns. But over the years, my Dad came up with a from-scratch version of this warm, comforting casserole…and we’ve been making it from scratch ever since.

Homemade, From-Scrach Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 8-16oz of fresh, whole mushrooms (I prefer brown mushrooms, but any will work)
• 1-2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup finely shredded, cooked chicken
• 1/4-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 TB butter + 2 TB butter
• Dash onion flakes/onion powder
• 6 large potatoes, unpeeled (Red or gold potatoes taste delicious here.)
• 16oz sour cream
• Handful of breadcrumbs (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Process:

1. Scrub potatoes and cut away bruises and sprouts. Boil potatoes until almost completely cooked. Set aside.
2. Wash and chop mushrooms into small pieces. Melt 2 TB butter in frying pan. Add mushrooms and onion flakes/powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until liquid from mushrooms reduces. Stir in flour and shredded chicken. Cook until slightly browned. Using a whisk, stir in the chicken broth and whole milk. Stir over heat until thickened.
3. Chop cooked potatoes into small pieces, or grate using a box grater. Transfer cubed/grated potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add mushroom mixture and sour cream. Stir until combined, adjusting amount of sour cream as desired. Season with salt/pepper to taste.
4. Pour into an ungreased baking dish (a rectangular Pyrex cake pan works well). Dot with butter, sprinkling top with breadcrumbs if desired.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbling and golden brown on top, ~1 to 1.5 hours.
6. Voila! You have Homemade, From-Scratch Potato Casserole.

Tips:

• Exact amounts of mushroom-chicken soup, potatoes, and sour cream vary. Feel free to adjust according to your tastes. (I’ve included approximate measurements for each ingredient here, but I really never measure anymore, so you may need to adjust a bit. 😉 )
• This casserole goes well with green beans, peas, or salad greens.