Individual Au Gratin Potatoes

Can I share a little secret with you? I grew up on boxed au gratin potatoes and even made them for my family. While they are cheap and quick to make, I have become not a fan of many of the ingredients in the seasoning packet. As I have been slowly switching out the convenience processed foods from my pantry, I want to replace them with recipes that not only taste good, but also are easy to make.

As a busy mom I want to make sure that the time I spend in the kitchen preparing food is minimal yet well worth it. I want to prepare for my family well balanced meals with real ingredients.

When I discovered that I could make my own au gratin potatoes easily, I became very excited. These individual au gratin potatoes are a snap to whip up, especially when using a Mandoline slicer or a Food Processor with a slicer attachment. These can be made before hand and stored in the refrigerator to make dinner prep even easier.

Simple real ingredients that can make an ordinary weeknight meal feel like a hearty, comforting holiday meal.

Here’s What You’ll Need

2 large russet potatoes

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

small bunch of green onions, thinly sliced

sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

3/4 cup heavy cream

non-stick cooking spray or butter

muffin tin

Step One

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray or butter a muffin tin. While I used a 6 cup muffin tin, I would recommend using an 8 or 12 cup tin for larger servings.

Step Two

Wash and remove the skin off the potatoes. Using a Mandoline Slicer or knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices. My Food Processor (which rocks by the way!) has a slicer attachment that slices a potato, or any vegetable or fruit for that matter (I see lots of Apple Cinnamon Chips in my future!), in seconds that are the perfect size and thickness.

Step Three

Layer the potato slices, shredded cheese, green onions and salt and pepper.  into each muffin tin, repeating until the layered stack overflows on top. Stack high because the potatoes will shrink down while they cook. Pour about 2 to 3 TBSP of the heavy cream over each gratin.

Step Four

Cover the muffin tin with foil and bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step Five

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Using a knife or a fork, gently cut around the edges of each gratin to help remove from the muffin tin. Remove the gratins from the tin and serve immediately.

Tastes great with some smoked ham and a green salad. Enjoy the flavors of a holiday meal on a regular week night!

 

How do you like your potatoes?