December 21, 2010
Kicked Up Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin for Your Christmas Menu
Potatoes au gratin are one of the things that shows up every year at our family Christmas. My cousin usually brings them, and it seems no matter how many pans of cheesy and creamy potatoes she brings, they disappear before everything else. They are definitely a favorite, and I can only imagine the uproar it would cause if the potatoes didn't show up to Christmas some year.
These potatoes au gratin are made with a bit of pepper jack and a few peppers, both sweet and hot, which work great with a ham dinner at Christmas, and they're perfect for leftovers as well. The perfect pairing of creamy and spice, they'll be a hit at your Christmas dinner.
Cheesy Peppered Potatoes au Gratin
- 6 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2 jalapeños, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 6 ounces freshly grated pepper jack cheese
- 2-3 cups heavy cream
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the crushed garlic around the inside of the baking dish or dishes. You can choose to use a 3-quart dish or individual dishes for single-serve options. Start with a layer of potato slices, and then sprinkle peppers and cheese and salt and pepper over the top. Continue with another potato layer followed by peppers, cheese and salt and pepper until you've used all the potatoes and the dish is full about a ½" from the top.
When the dish is full, pour cream over until it just reaches the top layer. Bake at 350 degrees F and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until top is crispy and brown and cream has become creamy pockets and is no longer pooling. Smaller dishes will need slightly less baking time, approximately 20 minutes less. Halfway through the baking time, whether using ramekins or a large dish, open the oven and push potatoes down under the cream again with the back of a spoon to ensure the cream is evenly distributed while baking. Remove from oven and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
What dishes are favorites at your family's Christmas dinner? Do you have a dish that you bring or someone else brings that just solidifies the Christmas meal?
