Potato Cheese Gratin

Okay, Potato Gratin is a dish I've eyed for years. I've avoided it because I have a natural fear, no, let's call it a healthy respect for the mandoline slicer.

But as I flipped pass the gratin my favorite recipe book for probably the thousandth time the other day, I thought, I can bake the potatoes and then gently slice them into thin pieces. Which is what I did. And it worked perfectly.

I prepared this the day ahead and baked it the following morning just before serving it for breakfast. I took it to my bible study, nervous that the thyme and blue cheese would be too much flavor for the morning. And although I recommend serving this with an entree for lunch or dinner it turned out to be a morning hit and the ladies loved it.

2 tbs butter
2 1/2 tbs flour (Pamela's baking mix)
1 tsp chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled, baked, cooled and sliced into 1/8 inch thick slices
cooking spray
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add flour, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in thyme and gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk; cook over medium heat until slightly thick, about three minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in Gorgonzola or blue cheese and cook for 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Stir in salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Arrange one fourth of potatoes in bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and spoon about 3/4 cup sauce over potatoes. Repeat layers twice, and arrange remeaining potato slices over sauce. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.