Week 48: Potatoes au Gratin

Brad and I lived together in college. We used to buy ridiculous things for dinner - like potato dishes that came in boxes from the grocery store. You know what I mean, right? Dried potatoes with an envelope of mystery seasoning. Remembering those was what led me to this recipe.

Taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Makes 4 servings

2 whole Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
Cooking spray
3/4 C heavy cream
1/4 C whole milk
1 Tbsp flour
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
Ground pepper, to taste
1/2 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking dish or 4 ramekins with cooking spray.

Slice potatoes in 1/4" slices, then cut each slice into fourths.

In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the spoonful.

My notes:
These were amazing! They stayed piping hot for quite awhile after coming out of the oven. I should have timed the other food to allow time for the potatoes to cool. The potatoes also over-flowed all over my oven resulting in a hazy atmosphere for the rest of the evening. Next time, I will cook them on a tray.