Funeral Potatoes

[AddamS]

I'm not LDS but my wife's family is so I have been to many a LDS gathering and adopted many of the foods found there (Manti Chicken, Funeral Potatoes, etc...)

I made my own funeral potatoes recipe and it is more or less fairly standard, but I added a can of diced green chiles to the mix and it makes them taste spectacular if I do say so myself.

Here's the rub:

My wife contends that adding something spicy to funeral potatoes makes it fall out of the line of traditional recipe. So much so that I should call the dish 'Cheesy Chile Potato Casserole' or something of the like.

What say you?

Does adding chiles to funeral potatoes wander from the original recipe too much?

[bluebell]

No, i don't think so.

[Garden Girl]

I think it does... in LDS culture, Funeral Potatoes are very specific and all one needs to do is mention the name and everyone knows what you're talking about... You show up somewhere with something you call FPs and it turns out not to be the tried and true FP, people will go... Huh?

I'm not saying your recipe isn't good... it's probably delicious, but it ain't FP! It's Chili/Cheesey Potato Casserole.

GG

[rpn]

In the mormon culture I grew up in, there was no such thing as funeral potatoes (though we did serve scalloped potatoes at every funeral. And I'm all for changing up any recipe shared at church: I think we get pretty stuck in the mud about such things and doing something different is like aerating the lawn --- a very good thing that makes the experience healthier. Besides, the creater of a recipe gets to name it, not the kibbutzers (sp?).

[Calm]

Just call it FPs with chiles.

Problem solved.

[Duncan]

yes, yes it does or well just say this has chiles in it so people aren't surprised

[Libs]

What is the actual recipe for funeral potatoes. I have seen it fixed in several different ways.

I've never made them, but I think they are, basically, shredded potatoes with mushroom soup?

[Storm Rider]

I vote bringing that dish to every function. I really like the flavor of those chilies.

[Calm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral_potatoes

The dish usually consists of hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheese (cheddar or Parmesan), onions, cream soup(chicken, mushroom, or celery) or a cream sauce, sour cream, and is topped with butter and corn flakes or crushedpotato chips.^[5] Ingredients in other variations include cubed baked ham, frozen peas, or broccoliflorets.^{[citation needed]}

This page has four links to recipes about halfway down: http://www.mormonshare.com/relief-society/funeral-and-meal-planning.php

Edited July 31, 2012 by calmoriah

[Libs]

Thanks, Calmoriah. I have had the ones with the ham and also just plain. They're pretty tasty.

[Tacenda]

What is the actual recipe for funeral potatoes. I have seen it fixed in several different ways.

I've never made them, but I think they are, basically, shredded potatoes with mushroom soup?

If someone hasn't sent you one by tomorrow which tecnically it is already, I'll get you a recipe. Usually it's made with very few ingredients like cream of chicken soup, shredded cooked potatoes, sour cream, crushed corn flakes for the topping with melted butter and cheese.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Tacenda

[Tacenda]

If someone hasn't sent you one by tomorrow which tecnically it is already, I'll get you a recipe. Usually it's made with very few ingredients like cream of chicken soup, shredded cooked potatoes, sour cream, crushed corn flakes for the topping with melted butter and cheese.

Oops I noticed Cal posted some sites with recipes, they look like some good ones.

[Garden Girl]

All right... just reading about them made my mouth water. Guess I'll make a small amount for a side dish at dinner... just what I need, i.e., sour cream, creamed soup, melted butter and cheese, potatoes... yum...

GG

[AddamS]

Thanks for the responses!

I also do the crust with crushed potato chips mixed with imitation bacon bits instead of corn flakes and it is delicious. I'm going to bring it to whatever LDS event we go to next and see how it goes over.

I guess I will come up with a new name to avoid confusion like 'Papas de los Muertos'

[bluebell]

All these recipes for funeral potatoes have me wondering one thing (and making my mouth water!).

If there are a dozen different ways to make funeral potatoes, then how does adding chilis cause the recipe to 'not' be funeral potatoes? Why broccoli, for example (which i've never heard of before and never had in funeral potatos personally), but not chilis? Why parmesian cheese, but not chilis?

[Calm]

This is starting to remind me of the debate about who is and isn't a Christian!

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I made my own funeral potatoes

I just know that name for a food has always freaked me out...does not conjure up good thoughts...also naming chicken after a city is odd.

[kolipoki09]

Thanks for the responses!

I also do the crust with crushed potato chips mixed with imitation bacon bits instead of corn flakes and it is delicious. I'm going to bring it to whatever LDS event we go to next and see how it goes over.

I guess I will come up with a new name to avoid confusion like 'Papas de los Muertos'

I've always liked it when people use sour cream and onion potato chips for the crust. I like a little variety, and I don't think there's a set way to do it. If you add spices, chilis, etc, I think you're still true to the overall nature of the dish as long as you're still using potatoes and cheese. It's fine if you bring it to a funeral, too. Definitely something worth bringing to a family reunion or a ward cookoff.

[bluebell]

This is starting to remind me of the debate about who is and isn't a Christian!

Haha, maybe i should have put more smileys in my post as it was mostly tongue in cheek.

Though i am kind of curious on why some of those who didn't bat an eye at a myriad of funeral potato recipes also didn't think you could add chilis and still call it funeral potatoes. I'm thinking maybe i'm missing something that is obvious to them and was wondering what it was.

[Duncan]

Haha, maybe i should have put more smileys in my post as it was mostly tongue in cheek.

Though i am kind of curious on why some of those who didn't bat an eye at a myriad of funeral potato recipes also didn't think you could add chilis and still call it funeral potatoes. I'm thinking maybe i'm missing something that is obvious to them and was wondering what it was.

I think there are some Funeral potato common denominators such as cheese, onions, potatoes, cream cheese (that's basically what my Mum makes it with) my brother has picked up the family recipe and also makes it like that

[bluebell]

I think there are some Funeral potato common denominators such as cheese, onions, potatoes, cream cheese (that's basically what my Mum makes it with) my brother has picked up the family recipe and also makes it like that

That makes sense. But if you have all of that, can you add other things (like chilis, or broccoli) and have it STILL be funeral potatoes? (these are very important issues so we'd better hash it all out right now!).

[AddamS]

Haha, maybe i should have put more smileys in my post as it was mostly tongue in cheek.

Though i am kind of curious on why some of those who didn't bat an eye at a myriad of funeral potato recipes also didn't think you could add chilis and still call it funeral potatoes. I'm thinking maybe i'm missing something that is obvious to them and was wondering what it was.

According to my wife, part of the allure of FPs are their (and I quote) "Savory Blandness". Adding spicy chiles dramatically alters the taste.

[bluebell]

According to my wife, part of the allure of FPs are their (and I quote) "Savory Blandness". Adding spicy chiles dramatically alters the taste.

If the Savory Blandness is in fact part of the recipe, then i can see her point. That would mean it's not adding things that makes the difference, but whether or not such things have a bold flavor.

So, does everyone else agree with Sister AddamS? Is it the savory blandness? (i've only had funeral potatoes about 5 times in my whole life so i don't really feel i'm qualfied to judge).

[Duncan]

That makes sense. But if you have all of that, can you add other things (like chilis, or broccoli) and have it STILL be funeral potatoes? (these are very important issues so we'd better hash it all out right now!).

oh, for sure! I personally don't like chilis but I guess you could add that and still call it funeral potatoes because I would die. Seriously, I would just say I added such and such and so and so to it

[AddamS]

I just know that name for a food has always freaked me out...does not conjure up good thoughts...also naming chicken after a city is odd.

I've always looked the name FP as being an indicator that it wa sthe ultimate comfort food.

As for Manti chicken, I heard the dish was made at a festival of sorts in Manti so the dish took the name. Not much different than St. Louis Ribs, or a Chicago Dog.