Potatoes Au Gratin - Cheesy Style

If you cover a carb with cheese and heavy cream, you can count on me to dig in.  I love potatoes au gratin and decided to try out Pioneer Woman's recipe since the cheese was calling to me (as it often does).  The recipe did not disappoint and every warm, cheesy bite made me want about ten more.

First you want to slice two  russet potatoes into rounds.  Stack the rounds on top of each other and cut each circle into quarters.

Whisk together 1 cup half-and-half, 1 tablespoon flour, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Butter the bottom of a baking dish.  Place 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish and pour 1/3 of the whisked mixture over top.

Repeat two more times, layering 1/3 of the potatoes and sauce each time.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees - be careful, mine boiled over when I waited 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake 20 more minutes until the potatoes brown and bubble.  Add 1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese to the top and bake another 5 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown.

You are advised to let the potatoes cool for a minute or two before spooning this out onto your dinner plate, but this is a tough task!

One thing I love about this dish is that it feels at home on your dinner plate during the summer or winter.  Nothing like potatoes to make us happy year-round.  

Potatoes Au Gratin - Cheesy Style

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman

2 russet potatoes, washed

Butter for baking dish

1 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon flour

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Lots of freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a baking dish (I used one about the size of a sheet of paper).  Scrub two russet potatoes clean and then slice into rounds.  Cut the rounds into quarters.  Whisk together 1 cup half and half, 1 tablespoon flour, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of freshly ground pepper.  Put 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish and pour 1/3 of half-and-half mixture on top.  Repeat twice more with 1/3 of the potatoes and 1/3 of the sauce each time.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, being careful not to let it boil over.  Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until the potatoes are browned.  Cover with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese melts and browns.  Wait a couple of minutes and serve in heaping portions any time of year.