Hash Brown and Sausage Casserole With Caramelized Onions

Another winner from Paula Deen! If you are like me and just are wild about eggs or omelets, but love breakfast food that consists of something other than toast or oatmeal, this is a wonderful dish to take to brunches or serve along side fruit dishes in the morning to family and friends. *If you would like to use this recipe for dinner or a luncheon, I have substituted wild rice for the potatoes and use 3 1/2 cups cooked wild rice. Goes great with baked chicken. Follow directions as directed, otherwise.
2 tables butter
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 lb pork ground sausage
1 (8 oz) package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 (30 oz) package frozen country style hash brown potatoes, thawed *or wild rice, see above.
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese, divided
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 teas dried crushed rosemary
1 teas ground black pepper
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 min. or until tender. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly, until onions are browned and caramel colored. Remove onions and set aside.
Add sausage and mushrooms to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sausage is browned and crumbly; drain.
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with Pam. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, sausage mixture, hash brown potatoes, 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, soup, sour cream, rosemary and pepper. Spoon dixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 30 min or until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 10 min before serving.