As we enter into the holiday season, I’ve been thinking about my childhood memories and what made this time so special for me growing up. I hardly remember any gifts I received as a child, but simple memories about food and family are what I remember most. My Grandma’s rolls are still requested at every holiday get-together and that hash brown casserole always has to make an appearance. Hash brown casserole is a staple in the Midwest because it’s just so darn good and easy to feed a crowd. Our family has changed it up a bit from time to time with cornflakes or potato chips on top or a ranch packet mixed in. No matter what additions you make to the hash brown casserole, it never seems to fail to please.
I love re-creating classic recipes with a twist, but there has to be some classic ingredients! AE Sour Cream has been the staple ingredient in casseroles in the Midwest for decades. The quality starts in the beginning with milk from family farms (which I had the chance to visit!) and is then handled with care to create the classic AE sour creams, cottage cheeses and milks as well as new flavors and products like the AE Whole milk yogurts and After Dinner Mint Chocolate Milk.
If hash brown casserole is a regular at your holiday table, try this jalapeño popper version! You won’t be disappointed. If this dish isn’t a regular at your house, you are missing out!
Jalapeño Popper Hash Brown Casserole
- 1 pkg (32 oz) hashbrowns, thawed
- 1 (10.25 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup (you can also make your own!)
- 1 (16 oz) container of AE Sour Cream
- 2½ cups shredded colby jack cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 4-6 jalapeños, de-veined, de-seeded and finely diced
- 12 slices bacon, fried and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1½ cups crushed Ritz crackers
- ¼ cup butter
- Preheat oven to 350, set out cream cheese to bring to room temperature, and grease a 9x13 baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine the thawed hashbrowns and all of the ingredients except the Ritz crackers and butter. Mix well.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave in increments of 10-15 seconds.
- Add the crushed Ritz crackers to the melted butter and mix well.
- Transfer the hashbrown mixture to the greased baking sheet and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle the Ritz crackers over the top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AE Dairy. The opinions and text are all mine.
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