Au gratin potatoes

 

Au gratin potatoes are one of the fastest and most glorious ways to have potatoes for any meal. Imagine this, thinly sliced and fluffy potatoes covered in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, baked in the oven until the casserole dish is bubbling and the potatoes are cooked to a crisp and golden brown.

If you have a sharp knife, and the ability to cut a veggie, then you have the technique to make this dish. You don’t have to have special skills or hours upon hours over a hot stove to make this dish, just this recipe with good directions and the right ingredients, and you are set to make a great dish to accompany any chicken, beef, or pork meal.

For those that don’t know what Au Gratin Potatoes are let me explain it to you.

Au gratin is a casserole dish filled with thinly sliced potatoes and onions, covered with cheese and butter, and cooked in the oven or broiler until tender.

This is one of my favorite dishes to make as a side dish for chicken, beef, or even pork, not just for special occasions. My favorite dish to accompany any of my French specialty dishes such as Roast Pork or Beef Wellington/Beef Tenderloin. Throw in a warm French Bread with softened butter and a green salad with walnut raspberry dressing and you have found the magic dish that will capture anyone’s heart.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

1-1/2 cups milk

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (Or if you’re like me make it 1 cup of cheese)

1 cup of gruyere cheese

4 -6 peeled and thinly sliced potatoes

1 thinly sliced onion divided into rings

¼ of a teaspoon of garlic powder

Directions

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a medium casserole dish.

Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until the mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake 1. 45 hours in the preheated oven.

 

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week. 

French Fare, Potpourri of Frugality. Kilbride