you want potatoes au gratin? you want an amazing cheese sauce base? you got it sucka!

i got this crazy thing for my birthday called a mandolin. it's like this insane thing that makes slicing easier than spelling. fo reals.

so i decided to whip up some potatoes au gratin cause my cutting skills aren't like, totally faboo. i can cut junk; don't get me wrong, but it takes forever and it isn't exactly uniform.

i have not one clue how much these bad boy mandolins cost and nor do i want to but i suggest that anybody that likes to slice stuff should get one. you can even choose the size of what you are slicing on the madolin i got not to mention there is a blade for making crinkle cuts, french fry cuts, and julianne cuts. mad crazy!

the cheese sauce in this mofo can be used as a base for chips or you could add all sorts of madness to your au gratin like jalapeno peppers minced or veggies or meat or whatever. bacon, chives and/or green onion would be amazing add ons.

whatchoo need:

potatoes....depending on the size of your pan you can rock anywhere between 3-4 of um. or more. whatevs.

5 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

4 cups milk

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

whatchoo do:

1. slice your potatoes and your onion on your crazy mandolin at the 1/4 setting. if you haven't got this wonderous invention then cube your pots and slice your onions. it doesn't bother me any.

2. spray a baking dish or casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. or butter it if you are feeling like you need about 400 additional trips to the gym later.

3. make a layer of sliced potatoes.

4. put onions on top of said layer. DO IT.

5. make another layer of sliced potatoes.

6. make more onions happen on top.

7. put your final layer of sliced potatoes on top of the final layer of onions. if you have a mandolin, this'll take about a mean 5 minutes. if you don't welcome to a good 45.

8. in a sauce pan, melt your butter over about a medium/8 setting. buttttter.

9. add your flour, mixing so it isn't all clumpity and gross.

10. add the milk and garlic. mix again.

11. dump your cheese in. see the future in it's shapes and twirls.

12. season and TASTE TASTE TASTE while stirring. you don't want no bunk au gratin.

13. when the cheese is all melty and the sauce is thick, pour just over top of your potato/onion dish. save anything else for later cause it'll make a mean nacho/chip dip.

14. sprinkle your parm on top.

15. cover with tin foil tightly and bake for an hour and a half. yup, you done have to wait.

16. uncover and let sit for 10-20 minutes to totally thicken. 

17. declare yourself the president of potatoville and start a war with any non-starches. then eat yourself silly in a celebration ceremony.