Simple Scalloped Potatoes

(4-6 servings)

This wasn't at all what I planned on making, but time has a way of getting away from me at times and this struck me as quick and easy. Besides, I had several pieces of cheese in the fridge and this was a great way to finish them off.

I highly recommend using some kind of slicer or mandolin because this dish bakes more evenly if all the potato slices have a uniform thickness.

butter for greasing an 8 inch square baking dish
2 medium russet potatoes, about 1 1/2 lbs.
salt and freshly cracked pepper
8 oz shredded cheese (anything combination such as cheddar, Gouda, Emmentaler, Parmesan)
1 1/2 cups milk

Generously grease an 8 inch square baking dish with butter and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Wash and peel the potatoes. Using a slicer or mandolin, slice the potatoes into even thin rounds. This is important to ensure even baking. My mandolin gave me slices about 1/8 inch thick on its second thinnest setting.

Place the slices, slightly overlapping each other, in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper (use tiny pinches), followed with a small amount of grated cheese. Continue layering until the potatoes are used up, reserving a small amount of cheese (about 1/3 cup).

Pour the milk over the potato and cheese layers. Sprinkle the reserved cheese evenly over the top.

Bake for about 55-70 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the top is nicely browned.

Remove from oven and allow to stand about 5-10 minutes. This makes the potatoes easier to slice and allows any liquid pooled at the bottom of the dish to be reabsorbed by the potatoes.

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Baked Potatoes

Every once in a while I really look forward to a simple meal of a baked potato with a small salad. There are tons of different toppings you can place on your potato, but I always dress mine with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream and sliced green onions. Yum!

Russet potatoes work best for baking because they are mealy, resulting in a nice fluffy texture when done.

for each serving
one 14-15oz russet potato
small amount of olive oil (for coating)
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp sour cream
1-2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
1 slice bacon fried crispy, then crumbled
2-3 tsp green onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Wash and scrub the potatoes carefully (so you can eat the skin as well). Remove any bruises or blemishes with a sharp knife.

Lightly coat the potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Poke each potato a few times with a  knife.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the skin feels crispy and the interior feels soft. Remove from oven.

Slice each potato along the top about halfway down. Gently pull apart the seams and fluff up interior with a fork. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Fill each potato with desired amounts of sour cream, cheese, bacon and green onions.

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