Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

This is an easy dish to make and one that my mother made often.  Most recipes use canned cream soup, and you can use that, but this recipe has a homemade cheese sauce that is so good. It really takes no time at all to prepare. You can serve this as a main meal, or as a side dish.

Ingredients

4 potatoes, sliced almost paper thin
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
2 1/2 c. milk or heavy cream
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the bottom of a 3 quart casserole dish that has a lid or a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.

Place the thinly sliced potatoes in cold water.  

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic.  Sauté the onions and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes.  Season them with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the butter and mix until melted. Stir in the flour.  Cook and stir for a minute or two to remove the flour taste.

Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly.  This will keep the flour from lumping.  

Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted. 

Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels.

Pour in a little bit of the cheese sauce into the bottom of your prepared casserole dish. Add a layer of potatoes over the cheese sauce.  Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.  Spoon more sauce over the potatoes.  Repeat the layering of potatoes, salt, pepper, and cheese sauce until you have no more, ending with the cheese sauce. 

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.  Cover with a lid or a sheet of foil.  

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Serve and enjoy.