Bleu Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes

Several years ago, Steve and I had dinner at Inn On The Creek in Midway, Utah. One of the best dining experiences ever! :) I have never been the biggest fan of bleu cheese but after having their Au Gratin potatoes I was forever changed. haha. Steve came home from Costco with a container of bleu cheese chunks and I knew immediately what I wanted to try to make with it--potatoes! Steve bought it with the intention of putting it on top of steaks he was going to grill. Our family was in barbecue heaven today with steak & these fancy potatoes. I realize that not everybody will like them, but I can't imagine who!

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, saute until translucent and golden:
1/2 yellow or vidalia onion, sliced (or chopped)
1 small clove garlic, minced
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
(set aside)

Sauce:
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 C. milk
1/2-2/3 C. crumbled bleu cheese or chunks
3 T. cream cheese

*Melt butter in a small sauce pan and saute garlic. Add 2 T. flour and heat, while stirring to combine. Add 2 C. milk, a little at a time. Heat over medium-high heat and stirring often. When mixed well, lower heat and add 1/2 -2/3 C. of bleu cheese chunks, 3 T. low-fat cream cheese, and 1/8 c. parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted and remove from heat.

In a medium-size casserole dish, layer:
russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and fresh ground pepper
grilled onions from above
pour sauce over potatoes at half-way and then the rest over the top
top with about 1/4 C. bleu cheese, finely crumbled

Cover potatoes tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hr. 15 mins. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until slightly golden. Is this what heaven smells like? ;)

Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to help potatoes firm up. 

My family devoured these potatoes. I was actually kind of surprised. One of my kids was a little more resistant to eat it--and it wasn't my youngest. I actually made a second batch of potatoes, substituting the bleu cheese with cheddar cheese and increasing to about 3/4 c. cheese. Reduce cream cheese to 2 T. and omit Parmesan, if you want. The cheddar cheese potatoes were good, but not as good as the bleu cheese potatoes. Mmmm....