Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

“What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”
A.A. Milne

There are so many “time saver” side dishes on the market that if a body was in a rush to make dinner they would have an aneurysm figuring out which one they were going to use so this post is my attempt to show that a good side dish need not come out of a box with a massive amount of sodium but with a little bit of patience and the right equipment it can be done in no time at all.

The secret, in my opinion, to this dish is a good cheese sauce and a good cheese sauce begins with a good “Bechemel Sauce” and then is enhanced with a good cheese and don’t let the term Bechemel intimidate you because it is merely flour, butter and milk mixed until it is the consistency that you want. I used a Mexican 3 cheese blend because I just happened to have it in the pantry but feel free to use whatever you wish.

Here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

• 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes – thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1/2 Flour
• 2 cups Half and Half
• 1 cup Chicken stock
• 3 cups Shredded Cheese
• 1 medium Sweet Onion – diced
• 3 Garlic cloves – chopped
• 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon White Pepper
• 1/4 cup Green Onion for garnish (optional)

Putting it all together:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°
2. In a large pot or dutch oven heat the butter until melted. Add the sweet onion, pepper, nutmeg and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking for about another 4 minutes being careful not to let it brown.
3. Pour in the chicken stock and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add the half and half while continuing to whisk. Bring to a boil for three minutes then reduce the heat and add the shredded cheese a bit at a time whisking until smooth.
4. In a 9 x 6 greased pan place a layer of potatoes and cover with cheese sauce. Alternate the process until all the potatoes and cheese sauce have been used. Top with Parmesan and green onion
5. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……….

                          Bon Appetit