Cornflakes and comfort: Remembering Elske
Elske was one of those people who seemed born to make others feel at home. She had a rare warmth that wrapped around you like an old sweater—well-worn but never tired. Elske’s presence, much like her cooking, was straightforward, comforting, and surprisingly layered. Her signature potato casserole dish was an unassuming masterpiece that felt both absurd and perfect, like her: creamy, cheesy hash browns, topped with crunchy cornflakes. Sounds odd? Maybe. But that dish, like Elske, always showed up just when you needed it most.
Whenever a gathering needed a bit of brightness or a reminder of the simple joys in life, in would walk Elske with her casserole. She’d set it down as if it were nothing special, and yet, it was always the first dish to disappear. No one made anything quite like it. Potatoes in a sea of cheese, bathed in cream, with a layer of cornflakes somehow both crisp and soaked with flavor—a dish that paired with anything and brought out the best in whatever it was served with.
It’s not easy to put into words what makes someone like Elske so special. But her dish says it better than I ever could. It’s humble but unforgettable. It doesn’t demand the spotlight, but when it’s missing, you feel it. Elske’s casserole—like the woman herself—was an unpretentious comfort. She could bring harmony to the chaos, showing us that no matter what madness life threw at us, a good dish and a warm heart were things we could count on.
Elske wasn’t flashy, and her casserole wouldn’t win any culinary awards. But in a world that worships what’s new and edgy, she offered something much rarer: tradition, trust, and the warmth of real connection. And now, at every gathering to come, we’ll look at the table, and if there’s no dish quite like hers, we’ll know something’s missing. The world is a little less complete without her, but when I think of that creamy, crunchy casserole, I’ll remember that a life well-lived is like a recipe shared—it lives on in each of us, waiting to bring people together once again.
Elske’s potato casserole
Ingredients
- 2 lbs hash browns frozen, thawed (tiny cubed parboiled potatoes work too!)
- 500 mL sour cream 16 oz
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup or a mix of cream of mushroom, cream of potato, cream of celery, cream of chicken – whatever floats your boat!
- 1/2 cup green onions with tops finely chopped
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
- 1/2 cup butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees F
- Mix first six ingredients and pack into 9″x13″ casserole dish.
- Mix cornflakes with melted butter. Spread over top of potato mix.
- Cook in oven for 50-60 minutes.
