I first heard about this from a friend who is Mormon and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Funeral potatoes (AKA hash brown casserole) got the name because the casserole is commonly served as a side dish during traditional after-funeral dinners, but the dish is also served at other church dinners, both within and outside of the Church (such as holiday dinners), as well as at potlucks and other social gatherings.
Ingredients:
30 ounces frozen hash browns, diced or shredded will work, THAWED*
Or substitute 10 small potatoes, parboiled and diced
2 cups sour cream
10 1/2 ounce can cream of chicken soup
10 Tablespoons butter , divided, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups corn flakes cereal
Instructions:
*Allow potatoes to thaw in your fridge overnight, or spread them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven at 200°F for about 20 minutes, until thawed. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, 6 Tablespoons of melted butter, salt, pepper and dried onion in a bowl. Mix well. Add potatoes and shredded cheese and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into a single layer in a 9x13'' pan. Add cornflakes to a large ziplock bag and crush gently with your hands or a rolling pin. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the crushed cornflakes and combine well. Sprinkle mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40-50 minutes.
To Freeze:
To freeze funeral potatoes, make as directed, but do not add the cornflake topping. Cover and store in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight. Add cornflake topping before baking.
https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/funeral-potatoes/