3 cups potatoes, sliced thin (about 5 medium size)
1 /2 onion, sliced thin
1 1/ 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Half and half

1. Oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice potatoes with a mandolin for a very thin cut.
3. Par boil your potato slices in water with a little salt for 3 to 4 minutes, no longer.
Drain well.
4. Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish.
5. Layer sliced potatoes and onions, then potatoes again. Ending with potatoes.
6. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
7. Pour half and half over the top of the cheese. I start with 1 /2 cup and see if you can see the cream coming up through the potatoes, if not, pour another 1 /4 cup at a time or if you want it less creamy only use the 1/ 2 cup.
8. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese looks a little brown and it is bubbly.
9. Serve immediately while still warm.
10. ENJOY! – Who wants a Baked Potato, when you can have Potatoes Au Gratin!

This recipe is for my friend, Rita. Every time I post a new recipe, Rita emails me, “Where is the Potatoes AuGratin recipe you made for me?” I have no idea what she is talking about. Seriously! Rita and her husband, Norman, came to dinner at my house years ago and I supposedly made them this Potatoes AuGratin dish for them. Apparently it was so good, she keeps asking for it. Isn’t it funny how different people remember different things.
I remember them coming to dinner, I remember having a good time, but I have no idea what I served. I just hope Rita enjoyed my company as much as she enjoyed my cooking!

Some dishes I just make up on the spot and I don’t have a recipe for them. This must have been one of those dishes. Finally, I was fooling around with some potatoes and came up with this recipe. I did read a few AuGratin recipes from a few cookbooks to get a feel how I should make it. The truth is I don’t like to use a lot of ingredients for something that should be just simple. Potatoes, cheddar cheese and cream are probably all you need to make this dish. I like using onions, for added flavor as well as the butter.
Many recipes call for heavy cream which I never use. Half and half is creamy enough and not so “heavy”.

Rita, now what are you going to email me after reading this recipe and story? I am anxiously awaiting to hear from you.