French Fry Spam Casserole

Tonight, on a whim, I made this recipe.

FRENCH FRY SPAM CASSEROLE
Categories: Main dish
Yield: 8 servings

1 pk Frozen french fry potatoes, thawed (20 oz)
2 c Shredded Cheddar cheese
2 c Sour cream
1 cn Condensed cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz)
1 cn SPAM Luncheon Meat, cubed (12 oz)
1/2 c Chopped red bell pepper
1/2 c Chopped green onion
1/2 c Finely crushed corn flakes

Heat oven to 350'F. In large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, sour cream, and soup. Stir in SPAM, bell pepper, and green onion. Spoon into 13x9" baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed flakes. Bake 30-40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


I have to say that--though I probably won't be making it again--it wasn't nearly as bad as just reading the ingredient list would imply. I was expecting an unspeakably dense casserole, but it was actually a lot lighter than that. It was more like a complicated potato au gratin than anything else.

It actually tasted quite a bit like a big heaping serving of Waffle House's Scattered, Smothered, Chunked, And Topped Hash Browns, which in my book is a mark in the dish's favor. The other victim subjected to this dish said that--with the cheese, sour cream, and vegetables--it had a real omelet quality.

The SPAM, needless to say, was the one unnecessary part of the recipe. It wasn't that bad, really (one little can in a huge casserole dish isn't really a lot) but it didn't need to be in there. I think maybe this recipe came from one of those hateful White Trash cookbooks. You know, something like Poor People Are Funny!: Recipes From The Trailer Park. 'Cause that's the only reason I see for the SPAM.

The french fries aren't that weird (under all that cheese and sauce, they're just potatoes) and the corn flakes are actually a nice crunchy touch, and they're smashed up so much they're pretty unrecognizable. But the SPAM is a superfluous step too far. (It often is.) Like I said, the SPAM isn't THAT BAD, but if you're going to make it, I'd definitely leave it out. Maybe you could replace it with turkey, or even a can of bean-free chili. But, frankly, the last thing this recipe really needs is more of anything.

More tips: Brown the french fries in the oven for added crispiness...the recipe as is just warms them, and I think I want them with a little bit of crunch. And I'd double the amount of vegetables, but leave the dish in the oven a little longer so they cook. And have the Tabasco bottle or the sriracha handy; believe it or not, the recipe is actually a little bland.

I'll now open the floor to any questions.