30ouncesshredded hash brownsfresh or thawed from frozen
½cupyellow onion peeled and finely chopped
12ouncesColby jack cheesefreshly shredded (3 cups shredded), divided
2cupssour cream
4ouncescream cheesesoftened
1packetdry ranch dressing mix *See recipe Notes on making dry ranch seasoning yourself
¼teaspoonblack pepper
garnish
½cupthinly sliced green onionsgreen part only
Instructions
Prepare the slow cooker by spraying the liner with non-stick cooking spray.
To a very large mixing bowl, add melted butter, hash browns, yellow onion, 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, dry ranch dressing, and pepper.
Pour the mixture into the prepared crock pot. Cover and cook on high power for 3 1/2 hours, or low power for 5-6 hours. **Check on it every 2 hours (if possible) as some slow cookers cook hotter and faster than others.
Just before serving, garnish the top of the funeral potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese and the sliced green onions.
Notes
Homemade Ranch Dressing Seasoning:Add the following to a small bowl and stir well with a spoon to combine.
2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried chives
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried dill
Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.Make Ahead InstructionsTo make the dish in advance and freeze it for up to 3 months, we recommend that you place it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. About 24 hours before you want to cook it, transfer the freezer bag of funeral potatoes to the fridge to thaw. After thawing, add the contents to the crockpot and cook according to the instructions shown above. Alternatively, assemble the casserole as directed and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Then, follow the cooking instructions shown above.