Pass the Cook Book Club: Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin

by Erin

PCBC-post-image

Welcome to the first month of Pass the Cook Book Club, hosted by Kita of Pass the Sushi. This club strives to dust off those unused cookbooks as once a month we post and share recipes from a randomly selected book. Don’t own the cookbook selected? No worries! Kita sends out three recipes to choose from to cook and share. For more info on how you can join the fun, check out the club’s Facebook page.

To kick off PCBC, we cooked from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier. I chose the perfect potato au gratin and served it with oven-fried chicken. These potatoes were incredibly easy to prepare. For some reason I was convinced I would have to use my mandoline to slice the potatoes, but was relieved to find out all I needed to use (and clean up) was a knife and cutting board. The ease of creation means these already irresistibly creamy and cheesy potatoes are even more dangerous. Good luck only eating one serving.

Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin

One year ago: Homemade Almond Butter

Two years ago: Over Easy Breakfast Bagel Sandwich

PERFECT POTATOES AU GRATIN

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

1/2 cup whole milk (I used 2%)

1-1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp salt

Pepper, to taste

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the potatoes into sticks, then dice. Place in a large baking dish. Combine the milk and cream in a bowl. Add the flour, garlic, salt and pepper and whisk. Pour over potatoes and dot the top with small pieces of butter.
  2. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and and bake for another 20 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  3. Sprinkle on the green onions and serve hot.

Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier, page 226.

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18 comments

Suzanne March 1, 2013 - 1:52 pm

Your potato dish looks great and with your oven fried chicken even better.

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Elle March 1, 2013 - 8:32 am

Potatoes are my best friend. These look so good!

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Lynna March 1, 2013 - 2:32 am

What a cute and wonderful idea! :) And this looks deliciousss!

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Jen @ Juanita's Cocina February 28, 2013 - 6:27 pm

I’m deadly with a mandolin….to MYSELF. *sigh* Don’t ask.

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kita February 28, 2013 - 4:58 pm

Aw, it wont let me reply any more :( but I was going to end with – cept for that figner tip Im never growing back.

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spiffycookie March 1, 2013 - 7:39 am

How weird! And yikes. Don’t do that again, mk?

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kita February 28, 2013 - 4:45 pm

Im not allowed to use my mandolin…. Don’t ask. I loved that this recipes only required dicing too and trust me – I was really considering it. Cheesy creamy potatoness. Mmm. After seeing how good everyone’s looks – Im really regretting not trying these.

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spiffycookie February 28, 2013 - 4:49 pm

Saying don’t ask just makes me want to ask. But yes you need to make them.

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kita February 28, 2013 - 4:52 pm

the great mandolin incident of 2011…

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spiffycookie February 28, 2013 - 4:53 pm

Sounds epic. Did you talk about it on your blog? I have a poor memory.

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kita February 28, 2013 - 4:54 pm

No. It wasn’t a funny story sadly.

spiffycookie February 28, 2013 - 4:57 pm

Not a fun time. But it appears you are in one piece so that’s good. I have had my fair share of scary cuts and burns myself.

dixya @ food, pleasure, and health February 28, 2013 - 2:03 pm

this is such a cool concept to use all that cook books :)

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Tracey February 28, 2013 - 11:59 am

That whole meal looks fantastic! This is such a fun idea for a group, I might need to think about jumping in at some point :)

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Camilla @ Culinary Adventures February 28, 2013 - 11:09 am

These look fabulous! I love potatoes and think that the diced option is much safer for my fingers. ;) I opted for the pots de creme, but will certainly try this.

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Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts February 28, 2013 - 11:04 am

I am the only one who didn’t dice my potatoes, wonder if I completely missed the boat on that one! Yours looks creamy and delicious!

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Kristen February 28, 2013 - 10:52 am

The fact that the potatoes are diced is a huge plus for me, as I have been known on occasion to lose fingertips using my mandoline. Yours look great next to that yummy chicken!

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Chris February 28, 2013 - 9:16 am

Darn! And here I thought I was gonna get to “pass” a cookbook off onto someone.

I WILL be making these, though. :)

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