Scalloped Potatoes

The original recipe came from Mastering the Art of French Cooking but I’ve modified it a bit. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a great book to learn some basics about cooking though. I learned how to hold a knife. Who would have thought after all these years of cutting, slicing, chopping that I could learn how to hold a knife? I mean I only once came close to cutting my finger off. (Well, okay, maybe more than once, but only once that was serious enough to require stitches, but didn’t.) I didn’t think there was an art to holding a knife, but you’d be amazed by following the instructions in this book.

On to the scalloped potatoes. It says to peel them, but I don’t always. Skins are good for you and saves a lot of time. Layer by overlapping in a dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, sprinkle with a little Guyre cheese. The better the cheese, the better the potatoes. Keep layering. I usually do about three.

In the book, you’re to use a fireproof dish that can also go in an oven. You add some cream and heat slightly over a fire, but I skip this step and just put the dish right into the oven at 350 degrees for about 45-60 minutes or until golden brown.

The first time I made them, I followed the directions in the book.



Rating & Type: FE/V

Potato Soup

Another item that is on my children’s favorite list is my potato soup. I think I make it different every time, but generally it’s about the same, sort of. They love it though.

Whenever I make soup, chili, spaghetti sauce, etc., I always make a huge batch. Then I freeze what I don’t think will get eaten and I have some dinners for those days when I don’t feel like cooking.

I start off sautéing in butter, a chopped up onion and maybe some garlic. Depending on the size batch you make will depend on how much, but I don’t think it really matters, do you? After the onions are good and soft, I’ll throw in some flour and make a rouge (which I just learned this term–basically it’s flour and butter cooked together) and it’s a thickener, I think. Oh yeah, I’m a cook.

I then add chicken broth (again, depending on how much you make) and I whisk this in so that the rouge becomes blended with the liquid. While the onion and garlic are cooking, I would be peeling and cubing my potatoes. Depending on my energy level, will determine if I peel the potatoes because sometimes you need a little skin. I prefer small potato cubes. Dump those in the broth and let simmer until the taters are done.

Before serving add either: heavy whipping cream, half and half, or evaporated milk. I usually have evaporated milk on hand and it does make a nice broth for potato soup. And you could also use a combination of all three. Say you have a tad bit of whipping cream left that you have no idea what you’re going do with—throw it in your soup. Any soup. Who doesn’t like cream? But careful because you don’t want to get your cream boiling, it’ll curdle and make the soup look not-so-good even though it will taste just fine.

You can then season to taste or just let everyone season to their own liking. If you want to get all fancy, you can dish out some shredded cheese, chives, bacon crumbs and sour cream to plop on top, but all of us here just like it straight up.


Rating & Type: FE/V