Jack Mormon Funeral Potatoes

I went to a ward party the other night and I was asked to bring Funeral Potatoes as my contribution to meal.   I have a confession to make:  I didn't grow up in Utah so I have never made Funeral Potatoes.  I have seen people make them and have been at events (funerals) where they were served but I have never personally put the dish together.  I guess I just consider it pretty low quality.  It is sometimes made with grated hash brown potatoes or cubed up potatoes.  It has a sauce made with canned cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup.  It is topped with buttered corn flakes.  To me, this is misguided, bad cooking.  So, as sacreligious as this may sound, I decided to make a similar dish that is actually edible.  Everyone loved the potatoes last night.  This recipe is not in the Bishop's Handbook of Instructions.


About 6-8 medium sized yukon gold pototoes, boiled until just tender and cooled.
One onion, sauteed in 1 T olive and set aside
2 C grated Jack cheese or Colby jack

Sauce
1/4 C butter
1/4 C flour
2 C chicken broth
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 C sour cream

Topping
2 C fresh sour dough bread crumbs processed in a food processor
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 t salt
1 small hand full of cilantro or parsley
1 T olive oil

Heat the over to 350 degrees.

Dice up the potatoes into 3/4 inch cubes.  Put this in a large bowl.  To this add the sauteed onion and the 2 cups of cheese.  Gently mix this together. 

Make up the crumb topping.  Process the garlic,salt, cilantro, and olive oil.  Pour over the bread crumbs.  and mix together. 

Make the sauce.  Melt the butter in a frying pan.  Add the flour, whisking it in with a wire whisk.  Cook this for three of four minutes while you continue to stir.  Add the chicken broth and incorporate using the wire whisk.  Allow this to come to a boil.  Cook for about three minutes.  Add the salt and pepper.  Add the sour cream.  At this point you want to heat the sauce mixture but you no longer want it to boil.  But you do want your sauce to be hot when you add it to the potatoes.

Assemble the dish and bake.  Coat a 13X9 inch pan with Pam.  Add the sauce to the potatoes and gently fold.  Pour this into the pan and put it in the oven.  Set the timer for 15 minutes.  After fiteen minutes, turn the temp up to 400 degrees.  Top with the topping and bake for 5 more minutes.  You are ready for the funeral! 

You can alter this in several ways.  You can add bacon bits to the crumb topping.  You can omit the crumb topping and top with Frenches Fried Onions instead.  Use your imagination.