Few recipes are as "multi-purpose" as this Potato Casserole. As a side dish to grilled entrees or a holiday baked ham, a take-along to a covered dish meal or an addition to a breakfast or brunch buffet, it’s always a hit.

This simple combination of frozen hash brown potatoes, cream of chicken soup and sour cream topped with crushed corn flakes and melted butter pleases adults and children alike. When serving as dinner side dish, I use Southern-style hash browns, which are cubed. But as a breakfast side dish, the shredded hash browns are my preference.

The recipe originally called for a stick of melted butter in the potato mixture, along with the melted butter in the topping. I’ve eliminated the butter in the potato mixture after determining that it added more fat than flavor. To further decrease the fat content of the recipe, use reduced fat soup and sour cream. I don’t recommend using fat free sour cream, however. Chopped onion or canned diced green chilies can be added to jazz up this simple, yet sublime side dish.

• 1 2-pound bag frozen hash brown potatoes, defrosted
• 2 cups regular or reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 10 3/4-ounce can regular or reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
• 2 cups corn flakes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, pepper and cheese in a large bowl. Fold in hash browns and pour into a 3-quart casserole that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Combine melted butter or margarine with the crushed corn flakes and sprinkle over top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 10 servings.