Denver Potato Gratin
With Thanksgiving only a week away now is the time to start planning your menu (if you haven’t already). If you’re hosting you’ve probably already ordered your turkey and are in the process of figuring out what to serve with it. There are the standards: potatoes, cranberries, gravy and green beans… but then there are the extras, too. Mac & cheese is a popular choice, some serve both white and sweet potatoes and then there’s the question of whether or not you want to add another vegetable to an already overflowing table. Oh, and don’t forget the dinner rolls and dessert!
But even if you already know what you’re serving, you may not know how you’re going to prepare them. That’s why I’m here. While my turkey and stuffing are the same every year, everything else always changes. Sometimes I serve mashed potatoes, other times a sweet potato casserole. Some years I do the classic green bean casserole, while other times I’ll do another vegetable altogether. This year, I’m making yams since they’re my favorite. But I found a recipe for a cheesy potato gratin, that I’m seriously thinking about as well. It’s super easy and so dang good, especially if you’re a fan of meat and potatoes.
I love a good potato au gratin recipe. I’m not a big fan of white potatoes usually. But when they’re thinly sliced and layered with butter, cream and tons of cheese and then baked until everything is melted and crisp, that’s a very different story. See, baked potatoes can be pretty boring… unless you top it with tons of sour cream and bacon bits. But put a spoonful of cheesy, creamy, gooey potatoes au gratin on my plate and I can’t get enough. (I’ll even go back for seconds.)
While I’ll never turn down the classic potatoes au gratin, I love a recipe that goes beyond the classic. You don’t have to do a lot to spice it up a either. It could be as simple as using a few different varieties of potato. Or you could just add herbs and spices. But as long as you’re going to change the recipe, why not go all out? Why not add some vegetables, or better yet, little bits of meat like ham or bacon. I mean, everything’s better with bacon: baked potatoes, hot dogs, turkey and my personal favorite: eggs. While scrambled eggs with a side of bacon is a must on the weekend, I prefer to mix the bacon into my scramble. This isn’t anything new of course. Chefs have been mixing meat into eggs forever. You’ve heard of the Denver Omelette, right? Well, what if we took that idea and exchanged the eggs for potatoes?
This recipe from Better Homes and Gardens takes that classic breakfast dish and turns it into a delectable side that will win everybody over. Like the classic on which its based, this dish is full of gooey, cheesy goodness. But it’s not your standard creamy gratin. No, sir. This dish also has red peppers and chunks of ham layered with delicious Yukon Gold Potatoes. All those flavors meld into one amazing side that will satisfy even the most picky eater. And if you happen to have a guest who doesn’t eat turkey for whatever reason, this side combined with rolls and greens will fill them up just fine.
Ingredients
- 4 Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces ham, cut into cubes
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degree F and grease a 2-quart baking dish
- Layer 1/3 of the potatoes, half the ham, half the sweet pepper, half the onion, and half the cheese in prepared baking dish. Repeat with 1/3 of the potatoes, ham, pepper, and onion. Top with the remaining potatoes. Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
