Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

This recipe comes from my one of my new favorite cookbooks, The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas.  I am not a huge casserole fan, but I love this cookbook!  I actually checked this cookbook out from the library first, and started bookmarking all the recipes I wanted to try before I returned the book.  When I kept marking every other page, I realized that this was definitely a book that I needed to own.  Lucky for me, this wonderful cookbook turned up as a birthday present a few days later.  What I love most about this cookbook is that it contains more than just the traditional “cream of  soup” laden casseroles.  In fact, this cookbook provides several sauce recipes to use in place of those canned soups.  Also, with more than 500 recipes, some of these are stretching it a bit to be called “casseroles”: there are breads, desserts, dips and appetizers in addition to all of the casseroles.  I’ve only tried 2 recipes so far, but they’ve both been keepers.  You’ll definitely be seeing more recipes from this cookbook!

The first recipe I want to share with you from this cookbook is for Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.  My mom makes a similar dish like this on occasion, but I’ve never attempted to make it myself.  I could eat potatoes all day, every day, and last week I was just craving some cheesy potatoes.  This dish is a little labor intensive, but definitely worth it.  These potatoes taste great leftover as well and I ate them for both lunch and yes, even breakfast in the next few days.  This isn’t a great photo, but look at all that crunchy goodness on top!  I just love the contrast of the crunchy bits on top with the creamy cheesy potatoes below!  Delicious!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

From The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever, by Beatrice Ojakangas

Ingredients:

• 6 medium baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 recipe Basic White Sauce (recipe follows)
• ½ cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray (Picky Apple note: maybe my potatoes were just extra large, but I almost needed a bigger pan!)

Rinse the sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning.  Pat dry with paper towels.

Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with onion, cheese, salt, and pepper.  Continue layering the potatoes, onion, cheese, and seasonings in this way, ending with a layer of cheese.

Mix the sauce or soup and the water in a small bowl and pour over the casserole.  (At this point you can cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.  Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.)

Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.

Basic White Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup hot milk

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.

Whisk in the hot milk, keeping the mixture smooth and free of lumps.  Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, reducing the heat, and cook until thickened and smooth.  Use the sauce hot, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.