Grandma's Potato Casserole

My grandma won the golden potato award every year. While that prize should have included some sort of trophy, it consisted of verbal accolades from the whole family and anyone else who had ever tried her potato casserole.

Her potato casserole completed every summer picnic and stole the spotlight, even though it was a side dish. I looked forward to having it at every Fourth of July cookout and family reunion. And I know I wasn't the only one. Even my bodybuilding adopted cousin, who refused every brownie and cupcake offered him, would rave about Grandma's potato casserole.

When I first learned how to make it, I realized Grandma had superior estimation skills. She didn't focus on exact measurements. For example, the recipe calls for eight ounces of shredded cheddar cheese, but if the entire package you bought has twelve ounces, you might as well add the whole thing. Who doesn't like more cheese? You need a cup of sour cream, but if there's more in the container, why not empty the whole thing? It will make everything creamier.

Grandma had two special pans. One was blue and white, and the other was red and white. Any time I saw them used, it was for potato casserole. They were distinctly "potato casserole" pans. At one point, my mom got a similar pan. People would start getting excited whenever we would bring it to church picnics or dish-to-pass events. My mom developed quite the potato casserole reputation in our area. What can I say? She learned from the best.

Grandma and Grandpa lived far enough away that spending a weekend was a getaway. But they were close enough that we would come up for several weekends over the summer. Those summers held joy. It was a joy that came through simplicity and spending time with family.

When Grandpa died, we didn't have a formal funeral. We had a graveside service and little while later, we had a "life celebration" party. People came to remember my grandpa and the impact he had had on their lives. We made potato casserole for the masses that day. By the end of it, we had it down to a science, something that carried over to later parties.

Grandma received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer a few years after Grandpa died. After she found out that surgery wasn't an option and surviving a few painful rounds of chemo and radiation, Grandma decided to discontinue all treatments. Based on what doctors had told us, we thought she had three to six months left to live.

Grandma planned everything, and she knew she wanted to a do a life celebration instead of a funeral. Then the idea came to her. What if we had a life celebration while she was still alive? People could come and say final words of goodbye and appreciation. The entire family jumped on this idea, and we went all out.

This included setting up barbecue (smoked brisket included) and live entertainment. We all knew we wanted to make Grandma's signature potato casserole. I don't remember how many pans we made. At least 20, maybe more. I wanted to do everything I could for my grandma that summer and helping assemble that many potato casseroles was an expression of love.

People came by the hundreds to the party, bringing gifts and cards. Everyone loved the potato casserole.

Against all predictions, my grandma lived another year. We promptly decided to have yet another life celebration and continue yearly until we couldn't anymore. This second party was also in July, and everyone had a splendid time. We made it a dish-to-pass event, but we also did barbecue, and, you guessed it, potato casserole.

I thought and hoped for a bit that she would make it to the following year. She died in March. We had seen it coming for a long time, but it didn't change the sorrow and numbness that comes from losing someone you love.

When we started going through Grandma's things, all the grandchildren sorted out items we might want for our first apartments or homes. One of the first things I put in my box was the blue and white potato casserole pan.

My grandma showed love to people by cooking for them. She could have fed hundreds without batting an eyelash. She invested in people and showed love through her actions. She faced death courageously, knowing where she was going. My time with her in her final years made me ponder how to best savor the moments of life.

I realized that if you agonize over savoring the moments, you won't savor them. If you're desperate to never forget the moment, to hold onto it, all you'll end up doing is stressing yourself out.

Let those moments come. Accept them as gifts. You can't keep them, but you can experience them.

Every time I make Grandma's potato casserole, I create new memories and impact other people the way my grandma did. Yeah, it's just a casserole, but it is one of the best dang casseroles ever. I wish everyone had a grandma as wonderful as mine. I can't guarantee that, but I can give you the recipe that my grandma used to show love to people and leave everyone satisfied. I hope you create it, and add your own love and stories. Enjoy!

Grandma's potato casserole recipe:

• 8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 package (32 oz) of hash brown cubes
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 can of cream of celery soup
• 2 sticks of butter
• 2-3 cups of crushed corflakes

Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. (Speaking from experience, don't ever forget this step.)

In the 9x13 pan, combine cheese, sour cream, and cream of celery soup. Melt one stick of butter and add to cheese mixture. Mix in potatoes.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

At 45 minutes, take out casserole and stir. Sprinkle crushed corn flakes on top. Melt second stick of butter and drizzle over cornflakes.

Bake at 375 degrees for another 45 minutes.

Note: The great thing about this casserole, is that it's almost impossible to overcook. I often leave it in for a little longer just to make sure the potatoes get nice and soft, especially if I started with a frozen bag of hash browns.

Happy Summer picnicking!