Perfect Scalloped Potatoes

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Thanksgiving holiday is that it provides a phenomenal opportunity for everyone in the household to showcase their culinary abilities. Whether you’re already the renowned chef in your family or are just starting out your endeavors in the world of cooking by taking cooking school online, this moment of giving thanks can be a wonderful time to put what you’re learning into practice and on display for your loved ones. Still, deciding what to make can be tricky; the turkey itself often becomes something of a communal project, making it difficult to use the main dish as a sounding board for feedback on your cooking. With this in mind, it’s often best to craft a number of delicious side dishes as your signature part in preparing this meal. If you’re still looking for the perfect dish to bring to the table this Thanksgiving, try this recipe for perfect scalloped potatoes.

Ingredients:

-3 tablespoons of flour
-3 tablespoons of butter
-1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (set aside for top layer, sharp or extra sharp)
-1 cup grated cheddar cheese (for cheese sauce, sharp or extra sharp)
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
-Paprika
-Cayenne pepper
-4 cups of potatoes, thinly sliced

Directions: 

1) Begin by melting the three tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over moderate heat. Once the butter has liquefied, gradually mix in the flour to thicken it.
2) Reduce the heat under the saucepan and allow the mixture to sit briefly and thicken.
3) Add the 1 and 1/2 cups of whole milk to the mixture.
4) Stirring the contents of the saucepan with a whisk, season the mixture with the salt and cayenne pepper.
5) Increase the heat under the saucepan and bring the mixture to a steady boil. Stir periodically to keep the sauce from from burning away on the sides or boiling over.
6) Reduce the heat under the mixture once more, this time adding in the cup of grated cheddar cheese.
7) Stir the cheese in until it blends evenly with the sauce, continue cooking over a low heat.
8) Keeping the sauce on the stove, lightly grease a one quart casserole dish.
9) Take half of the 4 cups of thinly sliced potatoes and pour them into the casserole dish, creating an even bed of potatoes filling the entirety of the base of the dish.
10) Pour half of the cheese sauce over the bed of potatoes.
11) Repeat steps nine and 10 with the remaining two cups of thinly sliced potatoes and half of cheese sauce.
12) Cover the top layer of potatoes with the remaining grated cheddar cheese.
13) Sprinkle a light layer of paprika across the top of the cheese for taste and coloration.
14) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for roughly one hour uncovered. Check periodically and remove when the edges turn golden brown or one hour has passed.

(Recipe from www.southern.food.com)