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Loaded Scalloped Potatoes

Loaded Scalloped Potatoes

Loaded scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin are so good that you could serve them as a main course. In this decadent recipe, we combine a cream sauce from scalloped potatoes with the cheese from potatoes au gratin. And if that is not enough, we added all the favorites of a baked potato. When you hook this up for the holidays, you’ll be the winner winner of your Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. This recipe does require some prep time and you can get this done a day ahead of the cook. And it’s flexible enough to bake at a variety of temperatures. This makes it easy to slip in the oven along with your main course or other side dishes. The combined flavors in this recipe are quite intense. You’ll love the variety of different cheese and dairy products layered in the fresh potatoes and herbs. And a most interesting flavor comes from the chicken broth. Don’t you dare skip this ingredient it is a difference maker!

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds russet potatoes
  • 1 white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 – 6 green onions
  • 12 oz bacon
  • 16 oz cheddar cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup flour


Directions

First, hand shred the block of cheddar cheese. Next, using a super thin guard on a mandolin, slice the white onion. Dice the green onions and mince the garlic. Finally mince the rosemary and thyme. Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.


Next, slice the bacon into bits and fry it in a skillet on medium heat. When the bacon grease starts foaming and the bits are turning brown, remove the bits with a slotted spoon and place them on layered paper towels. Carefully remove most of the bacon grease and leave about 3 tablespoons in the skillet.


Add the thinly sliced onion and continue to cook on medium until the onion becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and a pinch of the herbs. Next, slowly stir in the flour and combine together for several minutes. Next, add the chicken broth and stir until the sauce thickens. Slowly add the whipping cream followed by a few slices of cream cheese. Stir until the cheese melts into the sauce, then continue to add whipping cream and cream cheese until all is incorporated into the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes then turn off the heat.


Peel the potatoes, then use a mandolin with a thin blade and slice them. When the potatoes are all sliced up, use a non stick spray or vegetable shortening to grease up a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add a layer of potatoes to the dish first. Next use a large spoon and cover the potatoes with a layer of sauce. Next apply a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Add some bacon bits and green onion. Repeat these steps until all the ingredients are used. Be mindful of how much you have left for each item so that each layer has equal amounts of everything. This should make 4 to 5 layers.


Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. If you need to cook with other food at a lower or higher temperature this is fine. After 30 minutes use a toothpick and stick it all the way to the bottom of the pan. Feel for the tenderness of the potato slices. If there is a lot of resistance like a raw potato, keep cooking with the foil cover. If there is partial resistance, cook for another 30 minutes uncovered. When the toothpick slides in and out with very little resistance, almost like butter, the potatoes are ready to eat. Sprinkle the top with fresh thyme, some green onions and bacon. Allow it to cool at least 5 minutes before serving.



Watch How To Make This Recipe