BBT: Potatoes

Bitch, Be Thankful!  I am thankful because I feel that I can say with fair certainty, that there is not a home in America that doesn't make potatoes for Thanksgiving.  How can I say that?  Well,  they are like the cheapest vegetable on the planet, they are an American past time and honestly, they are perfectly paired with practically everything else that graces the Thanksgiving plate.  THAT is how I can say it.

And I don't know about your Thanksgiving, but at my Thanksgiving, they are always mashed.  Well, aside from the fact that I already told you a recipe for mashed potatoes, I'm bored.  I don't think it warrants a post by itself in the grand BBT series, and therefore, we are getting all sorts of serious up in the bitch.

These potatoes come on strong and they come with cheese.  So, Bitch, Be Thankful!

And while Dad's away, the girls will play.  That's right, my lady friends came over to carb load, like good lady friends do.

Taylor and Kaylin, we missed you, Emily!

Scalloped potatoes

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

3 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, not rinsed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook onion in butter until soft, add flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking. Whisk in milk and cook until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup of cheese, stirring until melted; season with salt and pepper. Layer half of potatoes in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover with half of sauce. Layer remaining potato slices on top of sauce and season. Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Pecan Sage Gratin

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

3 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh sage leaves

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Put the oven rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

In a saucepan over low heat, add the cream and 3/4 cup of the pecans. Bring just to a simmer and then keep warm over lowest heat while building the potato layers.

In a large, lightly greased, 9 by 13-inch baking dish, arrange 1/3 of the potato slices covering the bottom of the dish, overlapping slightly. Generously season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little sage, 1/3 of the Gruyere and a ladle of warmed pecan cream mixture.

Repeat 1 more time the exact same way. Layer for a 3rd and last time with just the potatoes, making sure to arrange them in nice straight even rows. Then cover the top of the potatoes with the remaining warmed walnut cream and top with the last 1/3 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and remove the foil. Continue to bake until the top is just starting to become golden, about 20 minutes more.

Remove from the oven and do your best to let the gratin rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Eat and enjoy!

And end the night with a slice of wine cake, made with love from your girlfriend.

Love,

Whit