Monday, November 3, 2008

Fabulous Potatoes

Fabulous Potatoes and Autumnal place settings. O.K. for the potatoes:

14 potatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 pound bacon
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1 pint whipping cream

Cover raw potatoes and peeled garlic cloves with water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to a gentle boil. Cook until tender (test with a fork). Drain potatoes. While potatoes are cooling, open bacon, cut with kitchen shears into bits and fry. Set aside crisp bacon. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Add onion to drippings and saute till golden brown. Add bacon back to pan and mix.
By this time the potatoes should be cool enough to peel. Use a small paring knife to do this. Then cut potatoes into slices the about the width of your pinkie, you know, not too thin.
Spray a pan (I use the one bigger than 9x13, a dripper pan) with Pam and layer 1/2 of the potatoes in the bottom, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with the bacon/onion mixture. Add the rest of the potato slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with the cheese. Drizzle the whipping cream over the top. Cover tightly with foil (I spray it with Pam first, so I won't have any cheese sticking to it) and bake 350 F for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. You can also prepare it earlier, and put it in the fridge. Then put it in a cold oven and gradually bring it to 350F. It bakes about an hour this way. Serves 12-16.


Those potatoes are screaming to be served in Fall. Here's a place setting idea: Gather leaf-shaped place mats or place mats of fall colors. I had clear plates, so
I added a leaf underneath my plate. Next came the salad bowl and the napkin. (this is Morgan's place, hence the little fork and spoon). Voile! Happy eating!