Mormon "Funeral" Potatoes w/ ritz cracker topping

Popular Sour Cream and Cheddar Potato casserole usually served at Funerals.  

I changed the standard recipe to a better tasting casserole with different cream of soup flavors, real onions (not dehydrated), minced garlic and a Ritz cracker topping-which is so much better then the cornflake kind! We love these potatoes with Ham or Barbacued Ribs.

--The Best Tasting Funeral Potatoes!!

                         

 Ingredients:

extra virgin olive oil

1 medium white onion finely chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 lbs diced-cut(not shredded) frozen hashbrowns- I use Ore-Ida country style cubed cut hash browns. 

1 cube butter, melted (1/2 cup)

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

1 pint sour cream (2 cups)-don't use low-fat or nonfat.

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (recommend Tillamook brand)

1 tube package of Ritz crackers-finely crushed in a large ziplock bag with rolling pin or hands

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Heat olive oil in fry pan, add onions and saute until onions are almost translucent, add minced garlic to onions and stir until onions finish cooking-don't burn the garlic!  Set aside
• In a large mixing bowl add hashbrowns, 1/2 cup melted butter, cream of chicken & celery soup, sour cream, salt, cheddar cheese and cooked onions & garlic; blend together and put in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle the crushed Ritz crackers evenly over the top. (You can mix into the crushed crackers ziplock bag, 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter before adding them to the top of the casserole. But there is so much butter & cream in the potato mix that as it cooks, it bubbles up into the cracker topping. So I've never added melted butter to my crushed crackers and it always turns out great).
• Cover with tinfoil and bake in oven for 2 hours, yep, that's not a misprint=2 hours. Then uncover foil and cook until topping is golden (about 5-10 min.).
• Let set for 15 minutes before eating.
• Optional: Add chopped chives or parsley on top to garnish.