Scalloped Potatoes... Mad Hungry Style!

Since Oprah is the devil, and took over Discovery Health at the beginning of the year, I've become a fan of Martha Stewart's show in the mornings. Afterwards, Lucinda Scala Quinn hosts a show called Mad Hungry.(After watching an episode, you'll understand why) I already had steaks marinating for tonight, when her episode featured Steak and Potatoes (score!). Grocery shopping was postponed, as I HAD to watch this episode. Lucinda's potatoes of choice were scalloped. I've always steered clear of making these from scratch, as it is much more convenient  to add water to the box that Betty Crocker makes. I have been so wrong! Literally, she used 5 ingredients (4 if you only use cream) and it was so simple! I had everything to make it at home, but decided to go with her cheese of choice, Muenster. (Yes, I know it's almost $6 for a pound of Muenster, but it is WELL worth the coinage!) I didn't add in the carmelized onion that she did in her version (Jason's not a fan), but I bet it would be a lovely addition. For all that is holy in the food world, PLEASE buy a block of cheese and shred it at home. Not only does it save you money, BUT you don't have added preservatives and cornstarch in your cheese, and it melts a lot better!

Ingredients:
5-6 Medium Potatoes (I used Russets, but Yukons would be yummy too!)
2 c Heavy Cream (or 1 c cream and 1 c milk)
A few tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 c shredded cheese (Muenster)


  Kitchenware:
Peeler (or knife)
Knife
Cutting Board
Baking Dish (I used a 13x9 pan, but if you want thicker layers, go with a smaller pan)

Preheat oven to 375. Peel potatoes, and then thinly slice them. Pour a small amount of Cream onto your baking dish, just enough to cover the bottom. We are going to make three layers, so portion properly from here.Create a layer of potatoes, overlapping them a little. Add a layer of grated cheese, some more cream, salt and pepper. Repeat this until your layers are finished. On your final layer of cheese, add a few dabs of butter on top to help brown it once in the oven.
Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Don't be afraid to experiment with cheese combinations! Let me know what you think, and how it turns out with your choice of cheese!

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