Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Caserole

Ingredients

2 pounds frozen hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup (10.25 oz)
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large, 4-quart, bake dish with cooking spray (see note).

In a large bowl, combine hash browns with soup, sour cream, butter, onion and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese until well mixed.

Spoon into prepared bake dish and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and continue to bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned on top.

Notes

This makes a large quantity and is best if baked in a dish larger than a standard 9 x 13 casserole. You can measure your largest bake dish by pouring in water to see what quantity it holds. If you only have a 9x13, the finished casserole will be thicker and will need at least 10 more minutes of bake time before adding the final cheese.