TREAT: Scalloped Potatoes

I know scalloped potatoes are pretty traditional but I have never made them and we never really ate them at home.  If anything, I just have eaten them as a side dish in a steak restaurants or at a friend's home.  I decided to try out a recipe and tweak it a little bit and actually really enjoyed the cheesy goodness that developed:  


Ingredients:

• 4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
• 3 Tbsp butter (plus butter to grease pan with)
• 3 Tbsp flour 
• 1 1/2 cups milk 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 dash cayenne pepper 
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 
• 1 cup yellow onion 
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 3/4-1 cup grated cheese, to sprinkle on top 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
• Grease two 8" pans (square or round) with butter
• Note: If you want to prepare everything in advance, you can cut the potatoes and place them in cold water until you are ready to use them.  The cold water will help stop them from oxidizing and will keep the white color (instead of brown).   

• Also, if you want a good slicer for cheap (less than $20), this is what we have (it is cheap, small and works really well & is easy to clean up.  You can use it for this dish, cucumbers, some meats and cheeses):  OXO Handheld Mandoline

• In a sauce pan, melt butter and blend the flour.  
• Let the mixture sit for a minute to thicken 
• Add the cold milk and stir with a whisk (you do not need to gradually add the milk) 
• Season with salt and cayenne
• Cook the sauce on low until it is smooth and boiling (stir occasionally with a whisk) 
• At the same time, caramelize the yellow onion (onions have enough natural sugars in them that you can just cook the onions in a little bit of EVOO or butter.  If you want, you can add a bit of brown sugar, but the natural sugars in the onion caramelize enough for my taste).  You will know they are done when they are a bit sweeter, fragrant and brown.  
• When the onions are almost done, add the garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. \

• Reduce heat and add: (1) the onions and garlic to the milk/flour mixture; and (2) the cheese.
• Take two 8" (round or square) pans and make sure they are greased.
• Place 1/4 of the sliced potatoes in each of them
• Pour 1/4 of the cheese sauce over each pan
• Repeat with the next layer of potatoes and the cheese sauce
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour