I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?

George M. Middius > wrote in
:

>
> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>
>
>



Yes.

Works better than just all cream, especially if you put a couple or 5 good
dollops of butter in amongst the slices.



--
Peter
Tasmania
Australia

On Mar 3, 8:57*am, George M. Middius > wrote:
> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?

i always make scalloped potatoes using just milk. it works fine.
like the poster below says, a few pats of butter enhance the whole
thing.
i don't know how you made SP, but i first made them by layering. a
buttered roasting pan, a layer of sliced potatoes, top with onions,
some pats of butter, flour to suit, then repeat until your roasting
pan is full, or you're out of potatoes. Fill up pan with milk.
Then later on, I learned to make the basic white sauce, put potatoes
in, mix em up, in a pan, and into the oven.

A Moose in Love wrote:

>> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
>> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>
>i always make scalloped potatoes using just milk. it works fine.
>like the poster below says, a few pats of butter enhance the whole
>thing.

That would defeat the purpose of cutting the cream, though.

>i don't know how you made SP, but i first made them by layering. a
>buttered roasting pan, a layer of sliced potatoes, top with onions,
>some pats of butter, flour to suit, then repeat until your roasting
>pan is full, or you're out of potatoes. Fill up pan with milk.
>Then later on, I learned to make the basic white sauce, put potatoes
>in, mix em up, in a pan, and into the oven.

I've never tried it with flour just tossed in. Maybe I'll try the
white sauce. It works as a substitute for alfredo on pasta.

On Mar 3, 10:19*am, George M. Middius > wrote:
> A Moose in Love wrote:
>
> >> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> >> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>
> >i always make scalloped potatoes using just milk. *it works fine.
> >like the poster below says, a few pats of butter enhance the whole
> >thing.
>
> That would defeat the purpose of cutting the cream, though.
>
> >i don't know how you made SP, but i first made them by layering. *a
> >buttered roasting pan, a layer of sliced potatoes, top with onions,
> >some pats of butter, flour to suit, then repeat until your roasting
> >pan is full, or you're out of potatoes. *Fill up pan with milk.
> >Then later on, I learned to make the basic white sauce, put potatoes
> >in, mix em up, in a pan, and into the oven.
>
> I've never tried it with flour just tossed in. Maybe I'll try the
> white sauce. It works as a substitute for alfredo on pasta.

I think the white sauce is better.

On Mar 3, 9:48*am, A Moose in Love > wrote:
> On Mar 3, 10:19*am, George M. Middius > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > A Moose in Love wrote:
>
> > >> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> > >> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>
> > >i always make scalloped potatoes using just milk. *it works fine.
> > >like the poster below says, a few pats of butter enhance the whole
> > >thing.
>
> > That would defeat the purpose of cutting the cream, though.
>
> > >i don't know how you made SP, but i first made them by layering. *a
> > >buttered roasting pan, a layer of sliced potatoes, top with onions,
> > >some pats of butter, flour to suit, then repeat until your roasting
> > >pan is full, or you're out of potatoes. *Fill up pan with milk.
> > >Then later on, I learned to make the basic white sauce, put potatoes
> > >in, mix em up, in a pan, and into the oven.
>
> > I've never tried it with flour just tossed in. Maybe I'll try the
> > white sauce. It works as a substitute for alfredo on pasta.
>
> I think the white sauce is better.

I'd go the opposite direction from George, purple potatoes Anna. No
adulterants. S&P after plating. Pure decadence.

--Bryan

Bryan wrote:

>> > I've never tried it with flour just tossed in. Maybe I'll try the
>> > white sauce. It works as a substitute for alfredo on pasta.
>>
>> I think the white sauce is better.
>
>I'd go the opposite direction from George, purple potatoes Anna. No
>adulterants. S&P after plating. Pure decadence.

Tomorrow is scalloped; just butter, maybe another day. How often does
somebody bring over a rack of lamb for you to cook?

I don't have much experience with purple taters. To me they taste a
little earthier than white or yellow ones. What's your take?

On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:52 -0500, George M. Middius
> wrote:

>
> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>
You can use whatever you want. How about using some potato water with
the cream? I find the very best mashed potatoes have very little
added liquid and butter. I mash them first, add the amount of butter
I want to add, then if I'm in a decadent mood - a little cream
followed by just enough water to get them to the fluffy consistency I
like or water followed by cream if I'm not in a decadent mood. It's
all good, but one way has more calories than the other.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:06 -0800, sf > wrote:

> On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:52 -0500, George M. Middius
> > wrote:
>
> >
> > I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> > all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
> >

Forget that last stupid answer. You wanted to know about scalloped
and I talked about mashed. I make plain scalloped only once in a blue
moon and have never considered using cream. I'd probably be debating
if I wanted to add some cheese to it.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 3 Mar 2012 07:56:51 -0800 (PST), Bryan
> wrote:

> I'd go the opposite direction from George, purple potatoes Anna. No
> adulterants. S&P after plating. Pure decadence.

Try sweet potatoes Anna sometime, that's decadence.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:22:57 -0500, George M. Middius
> wrote:

> I don't have much experience with purple taters. To me they taste a
> little earthier than white or yellow ones. What's your take?

May experience is that I roast a medley of potatoes: yellow, red,
purple and then everyone picks out the purple ones because they look
funny.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:06 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:52 -0500, George M. Middius
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
>> > all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>> >
>
> Forget that last stupid answer. You wanted to know about scalloped
> and I talked about mashed. I make plain scalloped only once in a blue
> moon and have never considered using cream. I'd probably be debating
> if I wanted to add some cheese to it.
>
If you add cheese it becomes 'au gratin'. Nothing wrong with that, mind
you!

For scalloped potatoes I've used half & half, no problem. I've also used 2%
milk. If you cook the white sauce down sufficiently and season the potatoes
well it works.

Jill

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 3 Mar 2012 07:56:51 -0800 (PST), Bryan
> > wrote:
>
>> I'd go the opposite direction from George, purple potatoes Anna. No
>> adulterants. S&P after plating. Pure decadence.
>
> Try sweet potatoes Anna sometime, that's decadence.
>
Sweet potatoes are wonderful, aren't they? They're in season around here
now.

Jill

In article >,
George M. Middius > wrote:

> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?

I use a recipe that calls for half chicken stock and half cream. It's
actually really good.

Scalloped Potatoes

Cooks Illustrated March, 2003

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds (about 5 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8
inch thick
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 bay leaves
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming
subsides. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and
lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper;
cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes, chicken broth,
cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to
medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife
can be slipped into and out of potato slice with some resistance), about
10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

3. Transfer mixture to 8-inch-square baking dish (or other 1 1/2-quart
gratin dish); sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling
around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes
before serving.

- - - - -

marcella

On Sat, 3 Mar 2012 12:49:44 -0500, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

> Sweet potatoes are wonderful, aren't they?

Love them!

> They're in season around here now.

I never know when it's sweet potato season because our grocery stores
have them all the time.

What's going out of season right now are the blueberries from Chili.
That's one import I don't mind at all! We paid $7 for our goodbye (18
oz) box today and that will be it for us until the American berries
come into season this summer.


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

In article >,
George M. Middius > wrote:

> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?

I make my scalloped potatoes with a thin white sauce made with butter,
flour, and milk (1%) and perhaps some chicken broth. I would think
that the starch in the potatoes would have at least some thickening
effect if you choose not to use an additional thickener.
--
Barb,
http://web.me.com/barbschaller September 5, 2011

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:52 -0500, George M. Middius
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
>> all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>>
> You can use whatever you want. How about using some potato water with
> the cream? I find the very best mashed potatoes have very little
> added liquid and butter. I mash them first, add the amount of butter
> I want to add, then if I'm in a decadent mood - a little cream
> followed by just enough water to get them to the fluffy consistency I
> like or water followed by cream if I'm not in a decadent mood. It's
> all good, but one way has more calories than the other.
>
> --
> Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

I'll have to give that a go. I've seen where you can add pasta water to
a pasta dish to help with the sauce. Hopefully some of the nutrition comes
with the water...Makes sense....Sharon in Canada

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 3 Mar 2012 12:49:44 -0500, "jmcquown" >
> wrote:
>
>> Sweet potatoes are wonderful, aren't they?
>
> Love them!
>
>> They're in season around here now.
>
> I never know when it's sweet potato season because our grocery stores
> have them all the time.
>
Oh, ours do too. But I try to buy from the local farmers at the area farm
stands whenever possible. Unlike some folks, I have limited access to a
"farmer's market" (the dang thing moves around).

Here in the deep south, sweet potatoes are in season, as are small red and
small white potatoes. Tomatoes are starting to come in; it's been a very
mild winter. Also various shades of bell peppers. (Locally grown broccoli
just went out of season.)

> What's going out of season right now are the blueberries from Chili.
> That's one import I don't mind at all! We paid $7 for our goodbye (18
> oz) box today and that will be it for us until the American berries
> come into season this summer.
>
I love blueberries. It's been a while, but I've been known to make
blueberry muffins Unfortunately the folks with the farm stands don't
grow blueberries. But it's almost time for the Cane Island daffodil
picking!

Jill

On Mar 3, 12:48*pm, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> "sf" > wrote in message
>
> ... > On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:06 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
> >> On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:57:52 -0500, George M. Middius
> >> > wrote:
>
> >> > I want to make scalloped potatoes to go with roast lamb, but not with
> >> > all cream. Has anybody tried half cream and half milk?
>
> > Forget that last stupid answer. *You wanted to know about scalloped
> > and I talked about mashed. *I make plain scalloped only once in a blue
> > moon and have never considered using cream. *I'd probably be debating
> > if I wanted to add some cheese to it.
>
> If you add cheese it becomes 'au gratin'. *Nothing wrong with that, mind
> you!
>
> For scalloped potatoes I've used half & half, no problem. *I've also used 2%
> milk. *If you cook the white sauce down sufficiently and season the potatoes
> well it works.
>
> Jill

close. au gratin means a casserole topped with breadcrumbs and
cheese. the topping should then be lightly browned.

A Moose in Love wrote:

>close. au gratin means a casserole topped with breadcrumbs and
>cheese. the topping should then be lightly browned.

You can usually get a nice browned crust even without a topping.
Believe it or not, some people actually dislike the crust. (But that
means the best parts go to those who wait.)

On Sun, 4 Mar 2012 08:37:23 -0500, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

> But it's almost time for the Cane Island daffodil picking!

I love daffodils, but they're so fleeting after they're picked. That
thought brings me back to wandering the tulip fields of Holland,
Michigan picking out bulbs in flower to take home and plant.


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sun, 04 Mar 2012 09:28:07 -0500, George M. Middius
> wrote:

> A Moose in Love wrote:
>
> >close. au gratin means a casserole topped with breadcrumbs and
> >cheese. the topping should then be lightly browned.
>
> You can usually get a nice browned crust even without a topping.
> Believe it or not, some people actually dislike the crust. (But that
> means the best parts go to those who wait.)
>
I'm not a big fan of crust on mac & cheese (I'm happy with the blue
box), but I always made it that way so when my kids (esp my DD)
reminisce now about foods they especially liked growing up - they
mention the crunchy bread crumb topping.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.