Ooey Gooey au Gratin Potatoes

Ooey Gooey au Gratin Potatoes Dish

I was totally craving some comfort food last night, something creamy, something cheesy, something with potatoes. I headed to my good ole’ Better Homes and Garden’s cook book again for inspiration, then spotted the Au Gratin Potatoes recipe. Well it was actually Potatoes and Eggs au Gratin with tomato wedges and parsley, and the picture of it looked soooo 70s! Not that my photography is any better. However the base recipe sounded good enough, so adapted it with some additions, such as garlic, cayenne pepper, and Parmesan cheese. I left out the  boiled eggs and tomatoes, because that did not sound appealing at all. I just wanted a big mess of ooey gooey creamy cheesy artery-clogging potatoes, and I think I accomplished that! Mind you I don’t splurge on eating this much cheese and dairy that often all at once, but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind and indulge.

Ooey Gooey au Gratin Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled
1/2 tablespoon butter or substitue
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons butter or substitute
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup sour cream (you can use low-fat, I didn’t have any)
Mrs. Dash Table Blend, or salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Black pepper to taste
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Au Gratin Potatoes Served

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil the whole potatoes for about 15-20 minutes — just long enough to slice through easily but you don’t want them mushy. Meanwhile place the butter, chopped onion, and garlic in a small glass bowl, cover, and microwave for one minute. Let that rest to cool off while the potatoes finish cooking. When the potatoes are done, drain and wash under cold water until cool enough to handle. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with oil. Slice the potatoes thinly and layer in the dish and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and combine to make a paste. Then add the milk all at once and whisk until it starts to thicken. Add the cayenne pepper, then season to taste with Mrs. Dash and black pepper. Then add the onions and garlic, and then the sour cream. Lastly, add the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Stir well until all combined, then pour over the the potatoes. Pop that baby in the oven for about 45 minutes until bubbly. Carefully sprinkle some additional cheddar and Parmesan cheese on top, then broil for about 5 minutes until the top cheese is nice and brown. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes, if you can wait that long! We had this with crock pot boneless beef ribs and asparagus. Great side dish for any meal when you crave some comfort food.

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