Scalloped Potatoes

When I lived in Richland, Washington, the local newspaper, the Tri-Cities Herald caused quite a stir among the local gay male community when it published a news item that stated in part that a certain man had been admittedinto the Hermiston, Oregon hospital for "the surgical removal of a potato that had been placed in his rectum during an altercation...." We all wanted to meet the guy.

Having said that, potatoes are probably the most perfect food. These Scalloped Potatoes are a fabulous potluck food, for all of you guys who don't cook very well.

4 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper

Pare and thinly slice the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Peel and slice the onion, and separate it intorings. Mince the garlic. Set the oven to 375 F.

Melt the butter (or margarine) in a skillet over low heat. Add the minced garlic and sizzle for a few seconds. Whisk in the flour. Cook the flour for 30 seconds or so, stirring constantly. Slowly add 1-1/4 cups of the milk, whisking the mixture constantly to keep it smooth. When the mixture begins to bubble, turn the heat to simmer. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Whisk in one-half of the grated cheese, and stir until smooth. Remove from
the heat.

Grease the bottom and sides of a large (covered) baking dish. Place one-half of the potatoes in a layer in the bottom of the dish. Cover with a layer of one-half of the onions. Pour one-half the sauce over the potatoes. Repeat the layers of potatoes, onions and sauce. Add enough of the reserved milk so that the liquid comes just to the bottom of the top layer of potatoes.

Cover the baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes. Watch the oven closely, because the liquid may boil over. After 30 minutes, remove the cover, and sprinkle the reserved grated cheese over the potatoes. Continue baking for another 30 minutes.