Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

Au Gratin Potatoes is originally a french dish that is common in the boxed mix area in your supermarket. It's  a dish I grew up eating and another favorite that I consider a comfort food. I've mentioned before that I love to make those old comfort foods and instead of making the boxed mix I like to learn how to make them from scratch and ingredients that I typically can find in my pantry at home, free of preservatives and additives.

This was made for Christmas dinner with a beef roast and red wine reduction, but would be equally delicious for a nice Easter meal with ham and a nice green salad or even my Parmesan asparagus. This is another dish that I made months ago that was in the infamous lost folder. I intended on posting this during that time frame that I was busy unpacking and party planning, but of course the folder was lost and has since been found.

RiRi declared upon first bite that this was "heaven in a pan" and immediately ordered me to quote her on that when I shared this recipe with you all. So, here is my heaven in a pan potatoes (adapted from this recipe), hope you like them!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika, nutmeg
• 1-1/2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Using one tablespoon of the butter, saute the garlic and onion in a pan until soft.

Combine the sliced potatoes in a bowl with the sauteed garlic and onion and mix until well combined.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine.
Add the flour and salt, quickly whisk to create a roux.
Slowly pour in the milk while whisking and add the remaining  seasonings.

Continue to cook, whisking often until sauce has thickened considerably.

Add most of the cheese, leaving a handful or two to sprinkle over the casserole dish at the end when the potatoes are ready to bake.

Mix the cheese into the sauce just enough until melted. Remove from heat.

Grease a large casserole dish, and spread half of the potato/onion mixture along the bottom.
Then pour half of the cheese sauce on top.

Spread the remaining potatoes on top, then pour the remaining sauce on top, spreading evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining handfuls of shredded cheese on top. Spray the bottom of a sheet of aluminum foil (the part that will be covering the casserole) and then cover the casserole dish with the foil.
Bake in pre-heated oven for about an hour.

Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

The potatoes on top will be golden and slightly crispy, and the potatoes inside the casserole will be soft and cheesy. Delish!

Just look at all that cheesy goodness! Enjoy!