Au Gratin Potatoes

Au Gratin Potatoes

2 lbs thinly slices potatoes
3 cups milk
3 tbsp flour or cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease 9x13 pan. Mix flour or cornstarch with salt and pepper. Layer potatoes to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle seasoned mixture over potatoes, layer more potatoes, seasoned mixture until all potatoes are used and are the last layer. Salt and pepper the top layer of potatoes, cut butter into small pats and spread over the top. Pour milk over top until it covers the top layer of potatoes. Cover in foil and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove foil, cover with cheddar cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy.

Basic Rice

So back in April I did a presentation and lunch for my fellow teachers at a little conference. I knew I wanted to do something with Chicken Satay (a grilled chicken dish with a spicy peanut dipping sauce, an Indonesian food). I chose this menu, because I wanted to show how you could use the broiler in your oven, a great way to cook food in a low fat style if you don't have a grill. I knew however that I could not just make chicken, so rice was my starch option. I wanted to do a basic rice recipe that even my students could do and not mess up. With this recipe you can add so many things to make it your own. I really love this recipe. I am going to try doing it with brown rice (my very favorite type of rice) soon. This is a rice pilaf type recipe. I hope you enjoy, and try it with your own twist.

1 cup Jasmin rice
1/2 onion, diced small
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic salt
3/4 tsp crushed black pepper

You will want to rinse your rice first. Take the rice and put in a fine sieve. Run it under cool water until the water turns clear.

Use a pan that can go from the stove top to the oven. Saute the onion in 1 tbsp of oil, once it starts to turn opaque, add the other tbsp of oil and the rice. Cook till the rice turns opaque. At the same time, bring the liquids to a boil Remove the rice from the heat and add the liquid and seasonings. Put the rice back on the heat and bring back to a boil. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.