Holiday Entertaining & a Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Well, this is only a few weeks late! Life just gets in my way and I don't seem to find the time to sit and post. I probably try and overthink what to say or how to say it. Or it could be other things. 

But...here we are a few weeks after Easter and I'm getting around to finally posting one of the new recipes I tried.

I wouldn't typically try a new recipe when having company over, especially at a holiday, but I felt pretty confident that this would an easy one to play with and to fix if something didn't go quite right. 

Our Easter plans took a different turn about 3 weeks before that day. Typically we go to my in-laws, but my father in law decided he was taking my mother in law out for brunch. Alrighty then....lol..I had to really switch gears since it's been a long time since I hosted a holiday in our home (other than Christmas Eve each year). After about a week of waffling back and forth and being out of sorts as what to do (I know, that's pitiful), we invited my dad and sister over along with my oldest daughter's fiance and another friend. It was a great day! We ate, visited around the table, then drove down to the local tulip fields to look around and take some pictures. 


Here was our menu:

BBQ Pork Ribs **See Note below
Scalloped Potatoes
Teriyaki Green Beans
Deviled Eggs
Chocolate Cake
Apple Pie 

I LOVE Scalloped Potatoes, but they always seem bland to me. I'm not one for winging it, and maybe winging it on the actual holiday you are making the meal for isn't the brightest idea, but I threw caution to the wind and went for it. Thankfully it worked. Phew! Everything turned out on time and tasted wonderful. Double Phew! Let's get on with the recipe. You will have to forgive there only being one picture. There was just no time to take any staged photos. Not when you have a house full of hungry people. 

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

5 medium to large potatoes peeled and sliced about 1/8" thick 
1/2 an onion thinly sliced
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
2 c. heavy cream
2 c. milk
2 garlic cloves
1 8oz. pkg. sharp cheddar cheese
1 8oz. pkg. gruyere cheese
to taste: mustard powder, onion powder, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and stir for a minute or so.

2. Add liquid, whisking to combine.

3. Add garlic and seasonings. Allow sauce to thicken, then season to taste.

4. In a 13 x 9 pan that has been buttered, layer potatoes, onion, cheese and a layer of sauce, repeat, ending with cheese and sauce. 

5. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. I uncovered the last 15 minutes or so. 

**Notes: 

1. I usually make my own BBQ sauce, but sometimes I'm short on time. I found that Tony Roma's Honey BBQ sauce is really good and has decent ingredients.

2. Feel free to adjust the sauce. If it's too thick add a bit more liquid. If you just feel like you don't have enough, make a bit more or just add some more milk to it. It thickens up naturally and you don't want dry potatoes. 

With Joy UNquenchable,