Au gratin Potatoes

Au gratin potatoes are a delicious side dish. Don't bother with buying the boxed variety that you add boiling water, butter and milk to. Use your own fresh potatoes and cheese and make it at home! You leave the skin on with this easy recipe which adds to the vitamins.

Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe

Potatoes, sliced, peels on

Yum-Cheese sauce

Ready to be covered and baked or put in the refrigerator for later.

Delicious. Variations to this recipe?? Well. firstly, you can make your own white sauce and add twice as much cheese as this recipe called for. This would mean skipping the can of cheddar cheese soup.
Don't know how to make a white sauce?? It is super easy. Find out how by clicking here.
The second variation is one of MommaVicky's Favorites- add bacon. Toss in as much crumbled bacon as you would like. Scared of bacon? Try turkey bacon. It really is tasty and "healthier" than regular bacon even though I recently tried low-sodium bacon and it was really tasty.

Yesterday's stromboli turned out great. Here are some pics of the finished product. (it was lunch for some lucky people today)

Spicy Potato Pancakes/Hash Browns

Find potato pancakes to be too bland? You will love Momma Vicky's Spicy Potato Pancakes. They kind of cook like hash browns and you use your spatula to break them into serving size pieces. These are easy to make and you can adjust the spices to make them even hotter!

This recipe will serve 4 as a side dish for a big hearty breakfast.

3 medium to large sized Russet potatoes ( use whatever potatoes you have- I had Russets)
1 tablespoon minced onion  (if you are using fresh use a little less)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon I can't believe it's not butter (it isn't butter- it is butter substitute,LOL!)

First peel and wash your potatoes.
Once that is done grate the potatoes into a bowl.
Add the olive oil and butter to a nice deep, large frying pan.
Sprinkle all spices on top of shredded potatoes and mix together.
Heat the frying pan and then add the potato mixture.
Flatten occasionally using your spatula.
Allow it to cook over a medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes and then flip them over. Continue until both sides are browned.
This should take about 20 to 25 minutes.
Break into serving size using your spatula.
Delicious and quite a kick.

Momma Vicky served these this morning with scrambled eggs and low-sodium bacon. Wow, what a nice way to start a busy Saturday. Leftovers can be heated in the toaster oven or microwave or even eaten at room temperature.