AuGratin Potatoes

Newly married, I scoured cook books for recipes. And wasn’t I delighted to find a recipe for Potatoes Au Gratin! The only ones I had ever eaten came from a box mix, so making them from scratch sounded daring. Turns out it wasn’t nearly as daring as expected, and the potatoes were absolutely delicious.

Cooking from scratch is not hard; it’s different…but not hard. It might take a little longer sometimes, but the taste…oh, it’s worth it. And you get better food value, and it’s fun.

It’s a great dish to serve for a company dinner. It can be assembled early in the day. Then put it in the fridge for a few hours. Start it baking so that taking it from the oven will be perfectly timed, for serving your guests.

It’s nice to have company almost swoon at the table as they tell me it tastes like their grandmother’s potatoes. And Dan…he made me promise to send my recipe to him, both at the table and before he left our house.

Now that was a challenge. Over the years, I’ve combined a couple recipes and added my own touches here and there. So, I had to work up this recipe into “repeatable” format.

True to my word, I sent this recipe to Dan. And now it’s ready for you to make in your kitchen too!

Au-Gratin Potatoes:

• 5 cups of raw potatoes (about 5 medium) peeled and sliced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika, for color
• 1 cup milk
• Nutmeg (optional, but delicious)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or cheddar and jack combination)
• ¼ cup dry bread crumbs or panko
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, optional
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• Parsley, optional

In a medium skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook over low heat until smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk. Bring to boil stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and stir. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Melt 1 Tbsp butter. Mix with bread crumbs, and Italian seasoning, if desired. Sprinkle over top of potatoes. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1- 1 ½ hours or until bubbly. If desired, garnish with dried parsley flakes or finely chopped fresh parsley.