Cheese potatoes

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I find it difficult sometimes to make a casserole type dish for just a few people, and something like cheese potatoes is especially hard for me to do. I created this recipe for when I had my whole family here, and they love these things. It’s usually a 13×9 dish, but I set out to make an 8×8 version for just me and my husband, with a few leftover servings. You can double it if you want to make up to about 10 servings. Here’s the ingredients:

• 1 1/2 -2 lbs. regular Idaho potatoes, about the same size if possible
• 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup diced onion – white or yellow is fine
• 1/2 tsp. each salt pepper plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. season salt or general seasoning (I use Emeril’s Essence but this is optional)
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic – optional
• 2 tbs. all purpose flour
• 2 cups half and half or whole milk
• 2 cups processed American cheese
• 4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar

Wash the potatoes and place them in a large stock pot and cover with cold water and about a teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook over medium high heat until boiling, then turn the heat down a little and cook until the potatoes are cooked through – cooking time will vary based on the size of your potatoes. Just like how you would boil potatoes for anything else. Drain the potatoes and let them sit until they are cool enough to handle.

Butter an 8×8 size baking dish. Peel and slice the potatoes into about 1/4″ slices. Stack them up in the dish until about 1/2″ from the top – leave room for all that cheese sauce! 🙂

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Now for the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in the same large stock pot over medium heat – no need for extra dishes to do – and cook the onion until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the general seasoning or seasoned salt (or you can make your own up with paprika, salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, and dried thyme) and let the spice incorporate in the butter for a few more minutes while the onion continues cooking. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk it into the butter until incorporated. Let the flour cook out for 3-5 minutes while stirring to let the raw flour taste cook out. Whisk in the half and half or whole milk into the pot and let it start to thicken. You are ready to start adding the cheeses at this point.

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Cube up the cheese and stir it in. Drop in the shredded cheddar too. Stir the mixture until all the cheese is melted. Taste for salt, pepper and if it’s a little too think you can add more milk or half and half. It should be cheesy but still pourable.

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I know this processed cheese is controversial, but hey it’s just cheese (product). It just melts great and has a neutral cheesy flavor that works for this dish. If you want to use all shredded cheddar go for it. You could also change this up and use all kinds of cheeses – Monterey jack, mozzarella and parmesan for an Italian spin, white cheddar, pepper jack – the choices are endless really. Just choose something that melts great.

Once your sauce is feeling all kinds of saucy, pour it over the potatoes in the baking dish, careful not to over do it at this point. I like to add about 3/4 of the sauce, tap the dish and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the sauce to seep into the potatoes. Fill up the dish to make sure the rest of the potatoes are covered. I like to top them with some more shredded cheddar just for more cheesiness. I mean, why not?? I spray my foil on the inside with some baking spray to keep it from sticking and cover the dish. Then I put the whole dish on a cookie sheet to save my oven from any spill over disasters. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, then uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are nicely browned on top and bubbly hot.

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You can make these a day ahead of time and store them unbaked in the fridge. Make sure you let your baking dish come up to room temp before you put it in the over though. You may want to extend the baking time a few minutes if they are cold. Served here with ham and green bean casserole. Also really good with anything barbecued! Hope you love them!!