Your family will go crazy for this Oreo ice cream cake!

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This Oreo ice cream cake recipe has been a family favorite since I was child. The recipe has evolved a bit through the years and now is a heck of a lot easier to make with only four ingredients. We still love this recipe. In fact, my daughter asks for this each year as her birthday dessert. It’s delicious, easy and is made ahead of time!

And, in the spirit of complete honesty, I’ve never made this Oreo ice cream cake recipe myself. My mom is who usually makes it these days. In spite of her moving a few states away, she ended up being in town to make it for my daughter’s birthday this week, so I had her walk me through it and took some photos. I no longer live in the land of sweet oblivion when it comes to making this dessert, but I don’t mind a bit. Because I knew I had to share this recipe with you guys and make sure I can re-create it myself in a pinch since my family loves it so much.

My mom actually made two of these this week so my daughter had one for her family birthday party last night and will have one for her friend birthday party this weekend. Her friends look forward to it every year as much as my daughter does.

Cookies and cream

This is an ice cream cake recipe, so you don’t need to preheat the oven, but you do need to let your ingredients thaw a bit. Thaw your whipped topping. Your ice cream needs to be softened. You can leave the ice cream sitting on the counter for 10-15 minutes or pop it in the microwave. We usually go for the countertop method because some of my family members think microwaving the ice cream gives it a different taste.

Once your ingredients are thawing, pull out a 9×13-inch or 3-quart baking dish. I love my glass 3-quart baking dish with a lid for this Oreo ice cream cake recipe because it’s easy to store in the freezer. And when we are finished, I can stick it in the dishwasher!

Fill the bottom of the pan with Oreo cookies. We use Double Stuf Oreos for this to have some extra cream in the mix. But regular Oreos work also! I buy the family size pack of Oreos that is 20 ounces. We usually end up with about 10 to 15 cookies left and happily eat them. But, you can get a smaller pack if you don’t want any leftover Oreos.

We added three more cookies after taking this photo. Mostly, you just want the bottom covered and then you’re ready to start smashing the cookies. Like I said, my mom is the pro of this Oreo ice cream cake recipe. Through the years, she’s found the easiest way to crush the cookies is with the bottom of a drinking glass. Then she uses a butter knife to remove the excess from the bottom of the glass. Easy as that!

You want the cookies to be crushed but still chunky. Move them around in your pan to so the bottom is completely covered. (If not, add more Oreos!)

Add the layers

Next up, you layer on the ice cream. The original recipe for this used butter pecan ice cream. We now use vanilla. But you could use chocolate, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip or whatever sounds best to you!

Either way, make sure your ice cream is softened. Then dollop it in mounds over the top of the cookie layer.

Carefully smooth the ice cream over the cookie layer.

Put the pan into the freezer to chill and harden for about 10 minutes. While the ice cream is freezing, get out the hot fudge sauce. I got a store-brand hot fudge sauce that was 11.5 ounces in the jar. My mom usually gets Hershey brand, which is 12.8 ounces per jar. Both worked well.

In order for it to spread over the ice cream layer, the hot fudge sauce needs to be warmed up. It doesn’t need to be as hot as if you were making a hot fudge sundae. The sauce just needs to be hot enough to be pourable.

My mom says the best option she’s found is removing the lid and heating the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for 30 seconds. However you heat it, once it is nice and warm, pull your Oreo ice cream cake out of the freezer. Drizzle the hot fudge sauce all over the top. It doesn’t need to cover every inch, but should coat well.

The final layer

The warm fudge layer softens the ice cream again. So, put the cake back in the freezer for about 10 minutes to let it refreeze some more. Then carefully spread the whipped topping over the top of the fudge layer.

And that’s it for this Oreo ice cream cake recipe. Simple, easy and delicious! For birthdays, we often sprinkle some miniature M&Ms on top of the cake before serving. You can also used crushed Oreo cookies on top just before serving (any sooner and the cookies will get mushy) or chocolate chips.

Store the Oreo ice cream cake in the freezer and remove it 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

With just four ingredients, this Oreo ice cream cake recipe easily comes together and makes a delectable dessert your family will love!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 package Oreos, regular or Double Stuf
• 1 1.5 quart vanilla ice cream
• 1 11.5 – 12.8 oz. jar hot fudge sundae sauce
• 1 8 oz. container whipped topping

Instructions

 

• Thaw the whipped topping and soften the ice cream by setting it on the counter or using the microwave.
• Cover the bottom of a 9×13 or 3-quart oblong baking dish with Oreo cookies.
• Use the bottom of a glass to press on the cookies and break them into large chunks. Make sure the bottom of the pan is fully covered with cookie pieces.
• Dollop the softened ice cream in large globs over the top of the cookies. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the ice cream out evenly.
• Put the ice cream cake in the freezer for about 10 minutes to harden a bit.
• In the meantime, heat the hot fudge sundae sauce. It doesn't need to be as hot as for a sundae, but it does need to be hot enough to be pourable. I suggest removing the lid and heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
• Pour the hot fudge sauce evenly over the top of the ice cream layer. It won't cover the ice cream completely,
• Return the Oreo ice cream cake to the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
• Dollop the whipped topping to make the top layer. Spread it gently and evenly over the fudge layer.
• Serve immediately or place in the freezer. Let the cake thaw 10 to 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

Keyword 4 ingredient dessert, Birthday cake, easy dessert, easy recipe, Ice cream, Ice cream cake, no bake dessert, Oreo

16+ Breakfast ideas you can make in 5 minutes or less!

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I love breakfast food. If I had to pick one type of meal that I’d have all day every day, I’d go for breakfast food. There are so many options, and they’re all so yummy! But, making them in the morning is not as much my thing. The typical weekday morning has too much to do for me to want to cook a big breakfast that nobody has time to eat anyway! For more than a decade now, I’ve been making breakfast for my kiddos and have come up with all sorts of yummy, healthy and EASY 5-minute breakfast ideas.

These are things that make it into our lives all the time. They’re not all made from scratch; in fact, most of them aren’t. But they are ideas to get food in bellies to get the day started off on the right foot, and you can’t go wrong with that!

Continental 5-minute breakfast ideas

One of the things I enjoy about staying at hotels (aside from not having to wash the towels we use!) is the continental breakfasts. Most of them are so simple, but getting to choose from a variety of things that are premade is just special to me. (Again, I love all breakfast food, so this may not be too surprising!)

You can imitate continental breakfast at home. I’m not saying set out lots of choices for your family to pick from (though if that works for you, go for it!). But, I like having items on hand that are similar to what I’d find at a continental breakfast. Then I can mix and match them together for a healthy, 5-minute breakfast for the kiddos. Pick two or three choices from this list, and you’re set!

Yogurt

My kids love yogurt. So, we always have at least one kind of yogurt in the fridge. Strawberry, peach, vanilla and strawberry banana are their favorites. I used to buy it in individual cups, but I realized the big 32-ounce container makes way more sense. I love that yogurt adds a healthy, easy way to get some protein in their bellies before heading out the door to school.

We usually keep yogurt tubes as well both in the fridge and in the freezer. While they do eat the tubes at breakfast sometimes, they also work for lunchboxes and after-school snacks.

Granola bars

Granola bars are a staple in my pantry. Along with breakfast, they also work for lunchboxes and after-school snacks. There are a few different varieties we have liked through the years, but my kids’ all-time favorite is sweet-and-salty peanut bars.

Recently, my son has been enjoying the same types of granola bars in the cashew variety. My favorite is chocolate chip granola bars. And then we can’t forget fruit and grain bars. Berry flavors are my kids’ favorite.

When I am working ahead of time, we also love homemade oat and honey granola. It’s super easy to make; I often make it for us to snack on throughout the week. And when that happens, I almost always include it for breakfast, too!

Fresh fruit

The best fresh fruit for 5-minute breakfast ideas is fruit that doesn’t take much work. Think bananas and apples or precleaned and prepped berries or grapes. We also go for fresh peaches in season that I clean and slice up in just a couple of minutes for the kiddos. I usually pair flavors together. If I have strawberry yogurt, then I serve it with berries.

Dried and canned fruit

Fresh fruit is always good, but don’t overlook dried and canned fruits. My kids love raisins, unsweetened applesauce (Pouches and single-serving cups are super easy!) and fruit packed in its own juice for additional breakfast options. Dried and canned fruits last much longer and are easily accessible year-round no matter where you live.

Cereal

I LOVE cereal. In fact, that’s my personal go-to breakfast. Almost every single morning I enjoy a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with a small glass of milk to get my day underway.

However, you can get creative with cereal, too. My kids don’t like milk on their cereal. They eat it dry. So, I will often include a small amount of cereal as a side for them. They can add it into their yogurt as they eat it for an extra crunch or eat it solo. My daughter tends to go for Honey Nut Cheerios like I do, while my son really loves plain Cap’n Crunch.

Another way we get creative with cereal is making peanut butter honey nut cereal clusters. just like with the homemade oat and honey granola, this takes longer than five minutes. But just like with the granola, I make these clusters for us to snack on throughout the week and they end up being a breakfast option, too!

Muffins

Because they aren’t necessarily the healthiest option, muffins aren’t in rotation all the time at my house. But every couple of months or so, I’ll either make some muffins or buy mini muffins.

Carb-y 5-minute breakfast ideas

Some of these more carb-y breakfast ideas can pair well with some of the continental breakfast options above and some stand well on their own.

Bagels

Bagels are a staple in my freezer. Yep. I buy refrigerated bagels (Lender’s is our favorite brand) and stick them in the freezer. My son will eat bagels for breakfast, lunch or dinner. But they really are a great, filling and fast breakfast food. I wrap the bagel in a paper towel and thaw it in the microwave for 25 to 30 seconds, then put it in the toaster. The go-to bagel for my son is a plain bagel with peanut butter. I prefer cream cheese and sometimes another flavor like cinnamon raisin or blueberry.

Cinnamon toast

This breakfast is a throwback to my own childhood and more in the every couple of months breakfast rotation. All you do is toast bread and spread it with some butter while it’s still hot. Then top it with cinnamon and sugar. If you don’t have a cinnamon sugar blend, just use some sugar, a bit of cinnamon and mix together on the top of the toast. It’s so easy and so yummy!

Peanut butter toast

Toasted bread with peanut butter smeared on it makes another tasty 5-minute breakfast that packs a protein punch. I serve this to my daughter as toast and to my son as a sandwich. Either way, it’s a great breakfast option that pairs well with fruit or a yogurt tube.

Avocado toast

Avocado toast has become one of my daughter’s favorite treats. Sometimes she’ll add some egg with it, but she cuts the avocado and puts it on toast, usually with a drizzle of agave syrup as well.

Hot 5-minute breakfast ideas

Just because you are going for a fast breakfast doesn’t mean it can’t be a hot one. These hot breakfasts really are ready in 5 minutes or less!

Waffles

Frozen waffles have come a long way since I was a kiddo. You can get basic ones or Belgian waffles. Either way, pop them in the toaster and within minutes they’re ready to devour. My son loves his with a bit of butter and some sugar-free syrup. My daughter prefers to dip her waffles into unsweetened applesauce. In fact, I started them both on waffles and pancakes with applesauce as toddlers to be healthier and less messy. They both still eat them that way, though my son ultimately prefers syrup these days.

Pancakes

Confession of sorts: my kids prefer frozen pancakes to homemade most of the time. It sort of flabbergasts me, but then again they have frozen pancakes more often. I stick a stack of three pancakes in the microwave for 1 minute and 11 seconds. (Notice I don’t have to touch any other number besides one!) Then they’re ready to go. Just like with waffles, you can serve them with unsweetened applesauce as a syrup alternative.

Oatmeal

This comes with another confession: I only like instant oatmeal. It’s what I had most often growing up, and I just prefer it! Much to my husband’s disdain, I make instant oatmeal with hot water, not even hot milk. But make it however you like. My mom uses quick cooking oats in the microwave to make hers in minutes nowadays, but I still go for instant oatmeal. I like sugar free maple and brown sugar. My kids both like cinnamon apple (but only the store brand, as I discovered a few months ago when they were out of store brand and we got name brand!).

Scrambled eggs

I can’t talk about 5-minute breakfast ideas without mentioning microwave scrambled eggs. This has been a game changer for me. Game. Changer! Make them plain, buttered, Italian flavored, cheesy or omelette. Add in some toast or fruit on the side and you’ve got a hearty, filling breakfast in less than five minutes!

A pizza sliders recipe for family dinner or any time!

Last week I told you about ham and pineapple sliders my daughter and I love. However, the guys in my house don’t like either ham or pineapple. So when I make ham and pineapple sliders for dinner, I make these pizza sliders for them. They’re just as easy to make and don’t add time to dinner prep.

Pepperoni is the pizza topping of choice for my husband and son, so I use just pepperoni on these pizza sliders, but you could use any favorite pizza toppings, much like with the pizza subs recipe. The sliders are a bit different in size (obviously) and flavor with their sweet roll base and onion garlic butter topping.

Putting together the sliders

]Get started by preheating your oven to 350-degrees and spraying a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Next up, you need to prepare your slider buns. You can totally buy slider buns, but I prefer Hawaiian dinner rolls since they are a bit sweeter. I just slice them in half to make them into buns. Place the bottom half of the buns into the baking pan. I used one package of 12 rolls and divided them into two sides when I was making this recipe this time because I was using half of the rolls for these pizza sliders and the other half for the ham and pineapple sliders.

Once your bun bottoms on in the pan, you want to cover them with pizza sauce. I don’t usually measure it out and just dollop it on. It’s about 1 tablespoon per bun.

Use a spoon or butter knife to spread the pizza sauce evenly over the bun bottoms.

Next, top the sauced buns with about 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese to cover the buns. You can add more or less depending on your family’s preference.

Top the cheese with the pizza toppings your family most likes. My guys love pepperoni, so I used pepperoni. I ended up using a bit of extra pepperoni this time around because I was at the end of a package and wanted to use it up. For pepperoni, go for one to two slices per bun.

Add the top bun and then melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 tablespoon of onion salt. Stir until combined. (Mine usually ends up kind of like wet sand.)

Brush the garlic butter over the top of the buns.

Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Cut them apart and serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Pizza sliders

These easy pizza sliders are great for family dinners or carry-ins and can easily feed a crowd!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 12 Hawaiian rolls
• 3/4 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
• 1.5 ounces sliced pepperoni
• 3 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/4 garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon onion salt dried, minced onion also works

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half through the middle to turn them into slider buns. Put the bottom half of the rolls into the baking dish; set aside the tops for now.
• Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the bun bottoms in the pan. Top with shredded cheese and pepperoni. (Add other pizza toppings as desired.)
• Put on the tops of the rolls.
• Melt the butter and then add in the garlic powder and onion salt. Mix it well and then brush the butter mixture over the top of the sliders.
• Bake the sliders for 20 minutes until the tops are browned and the cheese is melted.

A ham and pineapple sliders recipe for family dinner

Easy-peasy recipes are my favorite and this ham and pineapple sliders recipe is definitely one of them. These work well for family dinner or a carry-in. You can easily double (or triple) the recipe to feed a crowd. And it’s a great way to put leftover ham to use after holidays. Basically, it’s super versatile!

Another great thing about these ham and pineapple sliders is that because of the way they’re made, you can also easily make a second type of slider if you have family members who don’t eat ham. Stay tuned to next week’s blog post for the pizza sliders I make for my guys whenever I make this recipe.

Putting together the sliders

Get started by preheating your oven to 350-degrees and spraying a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Next up, you need to prepare your slider buns. You can totally buy slider buns, but I prefer Hawaiian dinner rolls since they are a bit sweeter. I just slice them in half to make them into buns. Place the bottom half of the buns into the baking pan. I used one package of 12 rolls and divided them into two sides when I was making this recipe this time because I was using half of the rolls for the pizza sliders that will be up next week.

Once your bun bottoms are in the pan, dollop mayonnaise onto the buns and then a bit of honey mustard as well. Technically use about 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon of honey mustard per slider square. I really just plop it on without measuring! (If you love honey mustard and ham like I do, don’t miss these hot ham and cheese subs with honey mustard.)

Smear the mayo and honey mustard into the buns. Top the buns with slices of mild cheddar cheese. You can use shredded cheese or another flavor if you prefer. Swiss cheese would also be pretty good with this recipe, but I like the stronger flavor of the cheddar most.

Top the cheese with slices of ham. I bought pre-sliced packaged ham. You could totally use deli ham or leftover ham for this recipe.

Now it’s time for the pineapple. I have used pineapple slices for this recipe, but I actually like pineapple tidbits for these ham and pineapple sliders more because it is easier to eat and spread the pineapple out more over the sliders. For 6 sliders, I used one 4-ounce snack cup of pineapple tidbits, drained.

Add the top bun and then melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder. Stir until combined. (Mine usually ends up kind of like wet sand.)

Brush the garlic butter over the top of the buns.

Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Cut them apart and serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Ham and pineapple sliders

Stacey A. Shannon

These easy ham and pineapple sliders are great for family dinners or carry-ins and can easily feed a crowd!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound ham
• 12 Hawaiian rolls
• 1 8.25 oz. canned pineapple drained
• 8 oz. mild cheddar cheese slices
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
• 6 teaspoons honey mustard
• 3 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (dried minced onion also works)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cut the Hawaiian rolls in half through the middle to turn them into slider buns. Put the bottom half of the rolls into the baking dish; set aside the tops for now.
• Dollop the mayonnaise and honey mustard onto the buns in the baking dish. Smear the mayo and honey mustard evenly over the buns.
• Layer the cheese, ham and pineapple on top of the prepared bottoms.
• Put the top of the rolls on.
• Melt the butter and then add in the garlic powder and onion salt. Mix it well and then brush the butter mixture over the top of the sliders.
• Bake the sliders for 20 minutes until the tops are browned and the cheese is melted.

Keyword carry-in recipe, crowd pleaser, ham and pineapple, leftover ham, leftovers recipe, pineapple recipe, pitch-in, slider recipe, sliders

Even picky eaters will love the delicious ranch meatballs in this soup!

My family isn’t big on eating meat. My husband and son eat very little meat while my daughter and I eat some. So, when I tell you I’ve found a ranch meatball recipe our family really likes, then you know it has to be good! Paired with taco flavors and a slightly cheesy soup, this taco ranch meatball soup recipe is a great family dinner option.

I have served this with tortilla chips and with cornbread. Since the cornbread pairs so well with taco flavors in the taco cornbread bake, I figured it was worth a try with this soup. Turns out I was right! We’ve decided that cornbread is our favorite. In fact, we put the cornbread in the bowl and then put the soup and meatballs on top. It’s a filling dinner with a bit of Mexican flavor.

Make the ranch meatballs

The taco ranch meatball soup starts with making the meatballs. The soup comes together and simmers for a few minutes while the meatballs cook. When I first made this recipe, I used half the amount of ground beef called for because we aren’t big on eating meat. But since then I’ve used the full 1-1/2 pound of ground beef. Our family of four ends up with a few extra ranch meatballs, but not too many! (And they make a good meatball sub topped with a bit of ranch dressing!)

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees (F). If you are making cornbread to go along with this, mix it and set it aside. I use a JIF cornbread mix and pour it into my loaf pan to bake a loaf. It bakes in the same amount of time as the meatballs, so it works quite well! This is how my finished loaf turns out:

Put 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef in a mixing bowl. Add in 1/2 cup of crushed tortilla chips. I fill a sandwich bag about 3/4 full and then crush the chips with a glass. While I use corn tortilla chips, I think these ranch meatballs would also be good with flavored cheddar or ranch tortilla chips.

Add the tortillas to the meat.

Next beat one egg in a small glass (I use the same one that I use for crushing my chips). Add the beaten egg to the meat mixture.

Next, add 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing mix and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning to the meat mixture. (There is also something called rancho taco seasoning. If you buy that, then put in one 1-ounce packet. Save an additional packet for the soup.)

Use a spoon to combine the meat mixture together well. You can use your hands if you really want to, but I find this stirs together well with a spoon. Do what works for you!

Once the meat is combined, then form it into 1-inch balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper. I use the non-stick aluminum foil to make for even easier clean up!

Put the meatballs (and cornbread if you’re making it) into the preheated oven and baked for 15 minutes.

Make the soup

While the ranch meatballs are baking, put 32-ounce of chicken broth into a large pot over medium-high heat on your stove. Add in one 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning. Cover it and cook for about 15 minutes.

Turn the heat down, leave the lid off and add in one 12-ounce package of thawed frozen corn and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. It’s best to add the cheese in slowly. I usually do it in thirds. Let the cheese melt. Simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Putting it all together

By the time your soup is ready, your ranch meatballs should be as well.

You have two options with this taco ranch meatball soup recipe: you can mix the meatballs right into the soup or you can leave them on their own and let everyone mix them in themselves. Our family prefers to leave the ranch meatballs separate. That also works better if you end up with leftover meatballs that you want to turn into a meatball sandwich! So, I move the meatballs to a plate covered with a paper towel to remove some grease. If you prefer, pat them off and put them right into the soup.

You’re ready to build your bowls of taco ranch meatball soup. You can put cornbread on the bottom, then top with soup and meatballs or skip the cornbread and just do the soup and meatballs.

Either way, it’s yummy to sprinkle some extra cheddar cheese on top.

And if you’re a big fan of sour cream like my family is, plop a dollop of sour cream on there as well!

Taco ranch meatball soup

Even my pickiest eaters like this taco ranch meatball soup recipe. It's a simple, yet filling family dinner idea!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Ingredients

  

• 1-1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
• 1 egg beaten
• 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 32-ounce carton chicken broth
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 12-ounce bag frozen corn thawed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus extra for topping if desired

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400-degrees (F).
• In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, crushed tortilla chips, beaten egg, 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning.
• Form the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes.
• While the meatballs bake, put the chicken broth, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning into a pot over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reduce the heat on the stove and add in the corn. Gradually add shredded cheese. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
• When the meatballs are finished, you can pat them dry and place them in the soup or move them to a plate covered with a paper towel to dry and serve separately. (One benefit of serving separately is it makes leftover meatballs easier to use for sandwiches!)
• Serve the soup with the meatballs and top with additional shredded cheese, if desired. Sour cream is also good with this soup. It pairs very well with cornbread.

Keyword family dinner, meatball soup, picky eaters, ranch meatballs, taco, taco soup, weeknight dinner

An easy cheesy hash brown casserole recipe your family will love!

Affiliate links are used in this post; if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure here.

I love potatoes. I can’t think of a way to prepare a potato that I wouldn’t eat from fried to boiled to mashed to baked! But this party potatoes recipe is hands-down my most favorite potato recipe of all time. While this recipe is almost the same as the one my mom has made for years, it has a couple of slight differences to make it even creamier and oh-so-delicious!

Another bonus of this party potatoes recipe is it uses frozen hashbrowns, just like my slow cooker potato soup. You get to enjoy the potato-y goodness without having to scrub, peel or cut potatoes. And that makes this recipe even easier to come together. You basically mix together the ingredients and then bake them. Easy-peasy!

I will eat these potatoes fresh from the oven and reheat them for leftovers. I’d guess that you could freeze and reheat them later, but they never make it that long around my house.

When it comes to a cheesy hashbrown casserole like these party potatoes are, I think there’s never a wrong time to make them. I’ve made them for Thanksgiving and for cookouts. In my opinion, they go with just about anything and everything! (I told you I love them!)

Let’s get this party potatoes recipe started!

Like any oven recipe, start with preheating your oven to 350-degrees (F). Next, find the biggest bowl you have. I use a giant glass bowl I got at IKEA a few years ago, but any extra-large bowl will work. Pour in the whole 30-ounce bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes.

Plop two cans of either cream of potato or cream of chicken soup on top of the hash browns. I have made it with both types of soup and love it both ways. It really is up to you on that one. Maybe go with whatever you have on hand, is easiest to find or is cheapest. Either kind of soup works well in this party potatoes recipe.

Next, add in 2 cups of sour cream. I just plop it right on top of the hash browns and soup. (One of my favorite kitchen tools to make mealtime prep easier is this kind of measuring cup with a push-up bottom. It makes measuring out ingredients like sour cream so much easier!)

While other party potatoes recipes put the shredded cheese on top, this one mixes some right in with the hash browns for cheesy-ness all throughout. Add in 1-3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

And then, finally, add in 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Shredded Parmesan cheese might work, but the grated works best for giving it more cheesiness flavor but without getting stringy. Combine all of the ingredients together in the bowl.

Get ready to bake!

Once the hash browns, soup, sour cream and cheeses are well combined, pour the mixture into a 3-quart baking dish that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Pat the mixture with a spoon so that it is even throughout the pan.

Sprinkle the hash brown potato mixture with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese — or whatever amount looks good to you. Honestly, I don’t measure out this part. I just keep sprinkling cheddar cheese until it’s well-coated, but I am totally a cheese lover!

Bake the party potatoes in your preheated 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes until the cheese is melted. If you want, turn your broiler on low for 2 minutes to get the top slightly browned and bubbly. And then enjoy the delectable cheesy goodness!

Party Potatoes Recipe

With just a couple of easy steps, this cheesy party potatoes recipe is great for a side dish any time and ideal for carry-in dinners!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 1 30-oz. package frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes
• 2 10-3/4 oz. cans condensed cream of potato or cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350-degrees (F) and spray a 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set it aside.
• In a very large bowl, combine the hash brown potatoes, soup, sour cream, 1-3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan. Mix well.
• Pat the hash brown mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese (or however much your family would like!).
• Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly. If desired, turn your broiler on low for 2 minutes to get the top even more browned.
• Let it stand a few minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Keyword carry-in, cheesy potatoes, Christmas, cookout, hashbrown casserole, pitch-in, potato casserole, Thanksgiving