Potatoes All Rotten
My Mom got us hooked on this rich, flavorful and filling side dish before we could even say the name right. As per my usual habits, I have taken liberty with the original recipe. Moms wonderful dish was a simple cheesy delight. I have added some bells and whistles not readily available or desired during her time.
Ingredients:
6 Tbs unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp salt substitute
1 tsp of minced garlic
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups oat milk*
3/4 cup shredded cheddar
3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
8 or so thinly sliced peeled potatoes from IDAHO (my favorite state name!)
2 rashers of cooked good hickory smoked bacon (4 slices) coarsely chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
3 Tbs of dried chives or scallions
Instructions:
- Prep the ingredients and preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large nonstick saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add garlic, flour, salt substitute, and pepper, and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese (reserve some cheese for the top) until melted.(*add more milk if needed to make the sauce flow).
- Mix potatoes and onions in a medium-sized Dutch oven or casserole dish. Pour cheesy sauce all over and give it a gentle stir to make sure the sauce coats everything.
- Cover and bake for 1 hour.
- Uncover. Add cheese, chives, and Panko on top. Bake for 30-45 minutes. The top should be browned and potatoes tender but it won’t matter because you will probably burn the roof of your mouth because you won’t wait any longer to taste this cheesy potato Zen experience.