I’m interrupting our regularly scheduled programming today to bring you this.
Totally worth it, am I right? That question is rhetorical.
Typically, I publish my recipes on Friday. I like my food to be the last thing seared in your brain before the weekend starts. I envision you hurrying out to the grocery store on Friday night, grabbing said ingredients and then spending a portion of your Saturday or Sunday whipping up whatever concoction I shared, at which point you’ll take countless photos and then Instagram that shit. Obviously.
We all know as fabulous as Monday morning recipes are, we’ve long since forgotten them come Friday, unless it’s Amanda’s Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie. Our stomachs, right along with our impulses, are fickle and fair-weathered friends. Or you suffer from self-diagnosed ADD, which means you can barely remember what you fell in love with on Monday and just had to have or else your world would end, and your Pinterest board is a black hole worse than the one in the center of the universe.
Today though is Wednesday, and I’m sharing my Cheddar Scalloped Potato recipe anyway. The horror, I know. I have good reason though. Of course I do, I always do and feel free to replace reason with justification. For me, they’re one and the same.
Easter is coming; like this Sunday coming, and you’re gonna want this dish on your table. Hell, I’d even set a place for it at mine; give it a seat of honor, perhaps a dainty napkin and a sizeable fork. As a self-proclaimed planner, who happily and readily embraces her planning ways, I knew I needed to share this recipe with you ahead of time, and if I’m being totally honest, I probably should have given it to you last week, so I could plant the seeds in your mind (I’m stealing a page from Kirsten’s book with this brainwashing stuff).
This dish is easy to make, requires very few ingredients and will blow your traditional cheesy potatoes with cornflakes out of the water. My houseguest said so when I fed it to him this week, and I never even mentioned that poor substitute for a potato dish. You call those potatoes? Ha! I call them cardboard, unless of course it’s being offered by my own relatives, then they’re fabulous, and I appreciate your contribution to the meal.
This dish calls for some of my favorite ingredients: potatoes and cheese. It’s a classic; a rich and hearty side, comfort food at its finest. The best part though is its simplicity to make. At the end of the day, this wonderful, warm and inviting casserole of delight is nothing more than some sliced potatoes, coupled with a fast and easy cheese sauce. The two should mate more often. They could get married, have babies, and live happily ever after.
The End.
- 4 large Baking Potatoes (I used Russets), sliced thinly. Peeling is optional.
- 1/2 cup yellow Onion, finely diced
- 4 Tbsp. Butter
- 4 Tbsp. Flour
- 1 cup Milk of Choice, I used Almond Milk.
- 2 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided (2 cups and 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. White Pepper
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes, depending on heat preference
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a midsized saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbsp. of butter. Once the butter has melt, add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent, about five minutes more.
- Reduce the heat to low and then add flour, one tablespoon at a time and mix in with the butter and onions, using a whisk or a fork until the flour has been fully absorbed. It’ll resemble a paste, as seen in the first picture in the below collage.
- Slowly add in your milk, stirring until fully incorporated with butter/onion/flour mixture. Your sauce will be quite thin at this point. Add in 2 cups of your shredded cheese (see the second picture in the above collage) and all of your spices. Stir occasionally until cheese has fully melted and sauce has thicken substantially. If your sauce is too thick, you can gradually add more milk. Alternatively if sauce is too thin, you can add more cheese. Taste your sauce and adjust seasonings as necessary. It’s okay if your sauce is a little on the salty side because the potatoes will soak up that seasoning.
- In a greased 2.5 quart casserole dish, place sliced potatoes flat side down, alternating with scoops of cheese sauce. I lay out one potato, then one scoop of cheese sauce, one potato, one scoop sauce until I’m completely out of both. The cheese sauce should be your final layer. Note: The sauce should be spread over each of the layers, although it won’t cover everything. It’s okay because as it cooks it will melt and manage to fill the nooks and crannies you missed. Top with remaining quarter cup of shredded cheese and extra paprika for coloring.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You should be able to easily piece the potatoes with a fork when they’re done.
- Be prepared to fight your in laws for the top layer. It’s worth it.
- This is one of those dishes which comes together quickly, so I like to have my ingredients prepped before I even start cooking. I dice the onion, I shred the cheese, I measure out the milk and I combine all the spices from the nutmeg to the red pepper flakes in a small cup. Last, I peel and finely slice the potatoes (a mandolin would work well if you are fortunate enough to own one).
- The pictures below are those of the cheese sauce (a roux if you want to get technical) in action. Since it goes through some strange textural phrases rather quickly, I thought a visual might help.
Today’s post is being shared with She Eats Fresh Food Wednesdays, Anyonita Nibbles Tasty Tuesday’s, Hun… What’s for Dinner’s Simply Supper Tuesday’s, Buns in my Oven What’s Cookin’ Wednesday and The Novice Gardener’s Fiesta Friday.
Do you celebrate Easter? If so, what are your favorite side dishes at Easter dinner? If not, what are favorite side dishes at family gatherings?
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
April 16, 2014 at 8:10 AMYour love for cheese and potatoes is a beautiful thing. My family usually just does creamy whipped/mashed potatoes as a side, but I’m thinking I should request scalloped this year… to which they’ll probably reply “then you can make them yourself,” at which point I’ll refer back to your recipe. I’ve got it a llllll figured out 😀
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:44 PMI’d take them that way too, but every so often I need to indulge in a pan of these.
My mom used to make these every Easter so they always remind me of home.
Madison @ Eating for Balance says
April 16, 2014 at 8:32 AMHonesty time: As a kid we would have cheesy potatoes all of the time. Sometimes homemade, but most often from a box. These are definitely not from a box Ms. Meghan.
Pinterest is totally a black hole. A big big time vortex where you lose yourself in blissful perfection of organized drawers, expensive dresses, ridiculously unblemished nails, and recipes that you promise yourself you will make.
I am GOING to make this recipe though. Count on it. My brother will love me (even more) for it 🙂
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:46 PMI can’t wait to hear what your brother and family think. These were actually a staple growing up; my mom made them every Easter and then some. I don’t think I ever had boxed potatoes growing about, but we definitely ate our fair share of frozen tater tots, although they used to take forever to bake, so I’m thinking those were the real deal too.
I’m thinking of making a new Pinterest rule for myself. No more pinning recipes until I actually make the ones already on my board. What do you think?
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
April 16, 2014 at 8:46 AMI happen to have 4 baking potatoes that I kept thinking I was going to make a baked potato bar with for supper one night, but this looks so much yummier.
Now, I don’t remember exactly where you live, but if you can get your non-ass to this place http://www.yelp.com/map/cam-asia-supermarket-north-randall or possibly this place http://www.asiantowncenter.com/about-us/ and pick up a Benriner for like $20 you will kiss me with gratitude next time you see me. It’s a Japanese mandolin, which means it’s simple, small, and efficient. Fits in a drawer, easy to clean, cheap. I learned about mine from Alanna, ran to my closest Asian market, bought my own, and have happily sliced things thinly since then. You can see mine in my Dainty Radish Pizza post, but Alanna’s post that sold me on the Benriner is right here: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2007/06/how-to-use-japanese-mandoline-benriner.html
The last attempt at a scalloped root vegetable dish, using turnips, did NOT go over well with my children. I plan to redeem myself with your potatoes. Thank you.
And thanks for the brainwashing–it’s fiendish, but honest, you know?
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:49 PMSo long as the fiendish comes with a dollop of honesty, I’m okay with it.
I can get to the second place for sure, I have no idea where the first one is, but I’m excited to get me a Benriner. Thanks for the tip!! You always have great ideas with practical ways to implement them. It’s why you are fabulous.
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
April 20, 2014 at 5:15 PMPractical Support for Local Eating–it says so right on my business card.
I’ve got this in the oven–cut the red pepper flakes down to ¼ teaspoon because we can’t handle the spice, upped the milk (and probably the cheese), used a can of milk since I bought a gallon approximately 24 hrs ago which means the teens will polish it off with breakfast tomorrow, and used a combo of cheddar and kerrygold dubliner something Irish from Costco.
Will report back.
Meghan says
April 21, 2014 at 9:01 AMSounds lovely. That’s the best part about cheese sauces, you can tweak and play with the flavors, the spices, the cheeses. I use a version of this sauce for my Mac & Cheese too.
Can’t wait to get the final verdict.
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
April 21, 2014 at 4:06 PMThis was delicious! The whole family loved it.
Thanks, Meghan!
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts recently posted…Wild Violet Muffins with Wild Violet Sugar
Meghan says
April 23, 2014 at 6:50 AMI’m thrilled. Thanks for reporting back and letting me know. It’s much appreciated.
Allison - Celebrating Sweets says
April 16, 2014 at 9:53 AMThese potatoes look amazing. I’m still finalizing my Easter menu but I’m thinking these will need to be included. Yum!
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:52 PMI hope you include them. They are sure to be a hit!! I want to hear all about it.
Casey @ Salted Plates says
April 16, 2014 at 11:40 AMyum yum yum! I love these potatoes, if I wasn’t a pierogie eater for Easter these would be on my table
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:52 PMI’d take an Easter pierogie too. 🙂
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
April 16, 2014 at 1:11 PMI heart you but I do not heart yellow potatoes. Even slathered in cheese. I’ll take a skillet cookie instead.
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:53 PMFor shame!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
April 16, 2014 at 5:14 PMI haven’t had scalloped potatoes in wayyyyyy too long! I need these in my face. Once I’m done tearing through my passover leftovers. Scalloped potatoes should be a passover staple. I’m starting a new tradition! Join me!
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:54 PMSign me up. I’m in.
Sarah Pie says
April 16, 2014 at 5:34 PMWhy wait for Easter can’t I just make a batch for breakfast?
I haven’t had scalloped potatoes in a looonnnggg time (mostly due to the fact that I’m likely to remove a digit thinly slicing with a knife) but these look amazing and I want some now… Maybe this is a sign that I should be practicing my knife skills 🙂
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:54 PMI think it’s time to give those skills a second shot. Remember keep all hands and fingers inside the ride at all times and no one gets hurt. It’s also best to use a really good and sharp knife.
Khushboo says
April 16, 2014 at 11:47 PM“…unless of course it’s being offered by my own relatives, then they’re fabulous”- HAHAH this made my morning, hilarious! These look so effin’ delicious- your love for cheese & potatoes reminds me of (what seems like) every HLB blogger’s love for nut butter & oats!! Even though even small doses of cheese seem to make me run for the loo, some dishes are worth the digestive discomfort…this recipe fits the bill! Although we don’t celebrate Easter per say, I’m thinking eggs will have to happen at some point during the day just for a little festive touch…am I cliche or what!
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:57 PMYeah, I might be banned from Easter this year with that little bit. Oops.
That’s a really good comparison because while I like peanut butter and baked oats in my granola, they are not the end all be all for me. Peanuts and cheese though certainly makes my list. I’m sorry to hear you’ve got a dash of lactose intolerance. It’s definitely not uncommon though.
Cliché or not, I say go for the eggs especially if they make you happy. Happiness is where it’s at.
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
April 18, 2014 at 4:33 AMI AM MAKING THIS.
Butter? Check. Cheese (Just bought shredded Mexican blend for something different….) Check. Let’s not state the obvious. Spuds.
I think I may bastardise this and add some bacon. 😉
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:59 PMYES YOU SHOULD! Because these make me think of you! In fact, they practically SCREAM ARMAN!
Bastardize away my friend. My mama always used to make them with leftover cooked ham on the bottom layer. I’d probably use a little less salt though if you add a salty meat. Keep all the cheese though!
Nancy says
April 18, 2014 at 11:34 AMFor me, scalloped potatoes are a must on the Easter table. Your recipe looks like a winner…and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing it at Fiesta Friday – just in the nick of time to add it the Easter menu.
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 1:59 PMBetter late than never right. I’m glad to hear someone else’s Easter dinner always includes scalloped potatoes. They’re a staple in my house. 🙂
Ngan R. says
April 18, 2014 at 1:47 PMI think the last time I had scalloped potatoes was 7 or 8 years ago. What am I doing, missing out on all this fabulous-potato-ness? Though I do have dinner plans already tonight, I will pin this for my next dinner party. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Meghan says
April 18, 2014 at 2:00 PMIt sounds like you’ve got some lost time to make up for, am I right?!
It would be great for a dinner party. I hope you make it, love it and then tell me all about it.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
April 22, 2014 at 6:23 AMWell look at YOU with your fancy schmancy recipe thingy! Looking good, babe…looking GOOD!
You totally described me with my ADD, forgetfulness, and bursting-at-the-seams Pinterest board…guilty as charged! Oh and thank you for reigniting my desires for Amanda’s skillet cookie! Lol
Confession: I’ve never had “real” scalloped potatoes…when I was a kid, my mom only made the ones from the box! 😯
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli recently posted…One Word: WEEKEND!
Meghan says
April 23, 2014 at 6:52 AMThank You! I’m working on it; small changes lead to big things right? Or something equally philosophical.
Never had real scalloped potatoes….oh my…. I can’t even….. alright, we need to fix this. Stat. Which means you’re going to need to plan a cold weather Cleveland trip because scalloped potatoes are not summer fare. Guess you better book that flight for right about now.
Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear? says
April 26, 2014 at 10:31 AMWeelll well, that is a beauty if I’ve ever seen one.
Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear? recently posted…Thinking Out Loud: Easter Edition
Meghan says
April 26, 2014 at 10:44 AMThanks Jess! Cheesy potatoes for the win.
Karly says
April 26, 2014 at 2:11 PMI would take a plate of these for dinner! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Karly recently posted…Bubble Up Enchilada Bake
Meghan says
April 27, 2014 at 4:11 PMYep, they’re perfect for a solo dinner as well. That way you don’t even have to share. 😉