I'm constantly asked to make my version of this recipe. Here's what I do differently that I think makes it better.
1. No onions. (I think they just get in the way of the potato and cheese flavor)
2. Make extra cheese sauce (I think an extra half recipe of sauce will do it)
3. Put extra cheese in the sauce. (at least an extra half cup, but to your taste)
4. Layer cheese sauce between layers of potatoes. (make sure to grease the pan well or it's hard to get off after baked)
5. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top for extra crispiness.
I made two huge pans of this for a party with 30+ people and it all went. Definitely a favorite of mine.
Made exactly as directed, only change being mincing the onion instead of rings, as I don't like the texture of onions in large chunks. One reason I chose this recipe was because I prefer whole, natural foods (avoiding processed cheese and cans of soup, for example), and it fit the bill for that well enough. Verdict: it's quite possibly the best cheesy-potato side I have ever tasted. Some reviewers have called it bland, but I prefer to term it comfort food. It's a creamy, cheesy, potato side dish. It doesn't have to have a special bite or kick to it, or evoke any particular area of the world. I adore all sorts of cuisines—Thai, Middle Eastern, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, you name it—but once in a while a lightly seasoned dish that lets you taste the potato, the cheese, the simple flour-and-milk sauce...once in a while that simplicity is the pefect complement to your meal.
Can you say.......disappeared faster than a speeding bullet? I just made this as a side dish to my Christmas ham. I doubled the recipe...used a lot more pepper than expected....used Cracker Barrel's Vermont extra sharp white cheddar ..... sauteed the onions with some garlic and butter before adding to layers....and slow cooked in crock pot (oven was full of ham). WOW!!! This recipe rocked. I loved that it was so user friendly and easy to cook in the crock pot. It is a must have to choose side dishes that can cook in a crock at the holidays. Thank you 1,000 times over!!!!!!!
I thought this recipe was very, very good. I will not make Au Gratin Potatoes from a box mix again! I'm rating it 4 stars instead of 5 because I feel a few simple changes are needed. I would mince the onion and mix it throughout the potatoes. We did not care for the big, slimy rings of cheese-covered onions in the center of the dish, although we did like the flavor of the onions. Also, a 1 quart casserole dish is too small for this recipe, use at least a 2 quart. Another tip, which I'm sure many people are already aware of, is to spray the foil with a bit of cooking spray before putting it on the dish to keep the potatoes and cheese from sticking to it. Finally, we like our potatoes to be golden brown on top, therefore I removed the foil for the last 15 - 20 minutes of cooking time. Thanks for a very good recipe that we will enjoy many times over!!
I was hesitant to make this but all the raving reviews had me curious. My family of 5 raved about these potatoes all through dinner, my husband said they're the best he's ever had! I added extra cheese as we are cheese fans. I usually make mine by just adding shredded cheese, onion, flour and milk and bake which is delicious but these beat it! Also a great tip, this is the same cheese sauce my family uses for homemade mac n cheese, if you use this recipe and pour it over cooked elbow macaroni and add extra shredded cheese on top then bake just a bit to melt, it's the best mac n cheese you've ever had! You could make a double batch and have the mac the next night with baked chicken. Thanks Cathy
This was easy and delicious! I sliced then microwaved the potatoes for about 8 minutes to cut down on baking time. Then poured the cheese sauce over top and mixed with potato slices, then bake.
Good recipe, nice as a side w/baked ham. Modified slightly by sauteeing onions 1st w/a bit of fresh/minced garlic for 4 min to reduce "raw" onion taste B4 adding to layers. Also agree to remove cover 15 min B4 serving to get a little crust or add a little buttered breadcrumbs to get a light topping. Convert this side dish recipe to a "one meal" casserole by adding left over chunks of ham (from a previous meal). This casserole is then yummy as brunch, lunch or supper.
Creamy, saucy and delicately flavored potatoes which are the perfect accompaniment to more robustly seasoned meats. Would be better, however, with onions chopped rather than sliced, and to uncover for the last 20 minutes to brown the top.
My husband and I loved this so much... My makin them out of the box days are over... I made just a couple changes... I sprinkled garlic powder on both layers of the potatoes...I also used marble cheddar and after I poured the cheese mixture over I also topped it off with a bit more shredded cheese... I baked it covered like it said but uncovered it for the last 10 minutes and it gave it just the right amount of crispiness, just the way we like it... and for my husband I added just 1 more sprinkle of cheese to his on his plate... These are also great the next day served with eggs for breakfast...
Kiki (Brampton,On,Canada) P S.. I wanted to add that I just made this again today (Oct 4th) and topped it off with some cooked and crumbled turkey bacon and sliced green onions.. Fabulous!!!
Good overall, but on the bland side. Found the onions sliced into rings changed the overall texture and appearance of this dish. Also, potatoes sliced at 1/4 inch were not done at 1.5 hours. Perhaps diced onions vs sliced would have been a better fit which is why I am only rating this 3 stars.
