Harvest Scalloped Potatoes

Are you in charge of bringing the potatoes to Thanksgiving dinner? Are you responsible for making the entire dinner? Either way, why not try the most delicious scalloped potatoes you and your Thanksgiving dinner guests have ever had?

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My very favorite spice store, Penzey’s, displays free recipes throughout their spice shelves that I collect as I browse. This is my all-time-favorite free recipe. As you read the recipe, you’ll soon realize why it is so delicious. Uh…hello: half & half and heavy cream?! Be still my beating heart. Literally. Hmmm….maybe that’s not the best cliché to use here.

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Anyway…looking for comfort food? Look no more.

Scalloped Harvest Potatoes

2 lbs baking potatoes (russet)
2 T butter, divided
2 c half & half
2 c heavy cream
1 tsp Chicken soup base
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp rubbed sage
1/3 c Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
½ tsp salt
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with half tsp butter. In large pot, heat half & half, heavy cream, Chicken Soup Base, garlic powder, onion powder, and sage over medium heat. Warm until the soup base is completely dissolved. Cut potatoes into thin slices – no more than ¼ “ thick. I am the lucky owner of a mandoline, so the slicing part is actually fun! Layer 1/3 potatoes in bottom of pan, sprinkle with half the cheese, salt and pepper. Repeat. Top with last third of potatoes. Pour cream mixture over potatoes until it just reaches the top of the pan. Dot with remaining butter. Bake for 60 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork and crust begins to form. Serves 8-10.

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Now THAT, of course, is the original recipe. It is divine even without the changes I make. However, here are some additional notes from yours truly:

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1. The recipe should read: 2 lbs of potatoes OR enough potato slices to make three single layers in a 9x13 pan. The amount of potatoes really depends on how thin or thick you make the slices. So I like to have at least 4 medium-to-large sized potatoes on hand and whatever I have left over can become breakfast potatoes or something else.

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2. I always go a little heavier on the Soup Base…like a heaping tablespoon.

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3. I always go heavier on the sage, too…like ½ to 1 teaspoon. I want to taste it!

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4. Extra cheese is a must for me. You’re already using half-n-half AND cream…it’s not like you’re trying to cut fat. I like to sprinkle a light layer of cheese over each layer, so it really ends up being more like 1/3 cup of parmesan PER layer (so about 1 cup total).

Scalloped Harvest Potatoes

Yum, yum, and more yum. So Thanksgiving is coming up. I love mashed potatoes and gravy, but if you want to switch things up a bit, Turkey Day would be a great day to debut this recipe. Or a cold, rainy Saturday afternoon. Or your mom is in town. Or a snow day. Or...

So this is yet another recipe that shouldn't be in your weekly repetoire simply because of the calorie and rich-ingredient content. And this is NOT the recipe to try to make lower-fat due to a necessary texture that can't be replicated with low-fat dairy products.

The OTHER important detail I must touch on is Penzey's Spices. I happen to be lucky enough to live within a 15 minute drive from a store. You can certainly buy their spices online, but it's so convenient to be able to run out and grab a little jar of their deliciousness. Sure, you can substitute, and I'm sure your recipe will turn out delicious, but I'm convinced that for THIS recipe, Penzey's is the way to go, at least in terms of the Chicken Soup Base--probably my most favorite Penzey's product.

Alright, enough of Penzey's...on to the recipe!

Scalloped Harvest Potatoes

2 lbs baking potatoes (russet)
2 c half & half
2 c heavy cream
1 tablespoon Penzey's Chicken Soup Base*
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp rubbed sage**
1 8 oz. package Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

*If you cannot get your hands on this Penzey's product, substitute one or two cubes of chicken boullion.

**I add a pretty big "pinch" -- none of this 1/8 tsp. stuff. I like to taste the ingredients :)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter or spray. In large pot, heat half & half, heavy cream, Chicken Soup Base, garlic powder, onion powder, and sage over medium heat. Warm until the soup base is completely dissolved, whisk as necessary. Cut potatoes into slices. Layer 1/3 potatoes in bottom of pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Repeat for a second layer. Repeat for a third layer. Pour cream mixture over potatoes. Dot with butter for extra goodness (and calories). Bake for 60 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork and a brown crust begins to form around the edges and on top. Serves 8-10. (Or serves 4 with lots and lots of fabulous leftovers!)