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Saturday, July 4, 2020

Not much to say--clean house and scalloped potato recipe

The two young women came to the door on time. I told them that when I had "cleaning ladies", they began at opposite ends and met in the middle, one hour later. I hoped they could do the same, and they did.

They worked from my bedroom and the living room to the middle, saving the studio for the last. After a little more illumination of their job, I disappeared into the studio and wove for an hour. When Addy came in to vacuum, I explained the easiest way to tackle the litter and the cotton dust under the loom, and we all reconvened in the kitchen in an hour.

I understand they were so excited at their wages and tip they stopped at their friend Cathy's house to squeal in delight. Cathy attracts children like metal to magnets. My house cleaners are going into ninth and tenth grades, so about fourteen and fifteen. I told them I would have them back in three weeks. They very professionally cleaned up after themselves, thanked me and left.


Scalloped potatoes: an 8x8" or 9x9" will work; there are 4 cups of potatoes here, and the dish could hold another two.
    4 cups thinly sliced potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet) about 2#
    3 tablespoons butter
    3 tablespoons flour  
    1 1/2 cups milk
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 dash cayenne pepper
    1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
    Paprika

Note: I used less than half a cup of cheddar, melted into the rue. I don't have cayenne, and used hot pepper flakes. Mustard powder would have been good, too. I didn't use paprika.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 1.5 quart baking dish. 8x8 or 9x9.
In a small sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour. Stir to bubbly, thick consistency. A minute or two.
Whisk in milk and season with salt and cayenne.
Cook sauce on low until smooth and bubbling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
Reduce heat and stir in up to 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
Put half the potatoes in baking dish. Smooth out to an even layer.
Pour half the sauce over the potatoes. No need to mix evenly.
Repeat with second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Top with paprika for color.
Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350 degrees F, or until potatoes are fork tender and top is browned.

I believe the secret to this recipe is the thinness of the slices of potatoes. I think back on scalloped potatoes at childhood suppers, and they were quarter inch or more slices. The taters often had a crunch. The second "secret" is making the flour/butter combo bubble in the pan, and bringing the rue back to a thickened bubble. And, that's all I can tell you about cooking.


36 comments:

  1. Your 'cleaning ladies' are lucky to be starting with you. You're taking them seriously and paying them properly. They'll learn to value their work and respect their employer.
    And you get a clean house! Win, win!!

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    1. I also believe Cathy told them how to behave and what to do. It was win-win all around.

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  2. So pleased you now have a clean house and happy house cleaners. Thank youso much for the recipe.

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  3. Not much to say?
    What you did say was lovely. A clean house. Happy householder. Happy (and appreciated) cleaners.
    AND a delicious dinner.

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  4. I love the cleaning ladies. It was really nice of you to provide employment.

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  5. We make a couple of versions of scalloped potatoes, but we will give your recipe a shot, and I agree that thin slices are critical to success. Glad the two kids did a good job and kudos to them for their entrepreneurial spirit.

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  6. I'm glad you paid them appropriately, too. Nice to have a clean house.

    I like scalloped potatoes, too, and make them very much as you did. I do a bit of insurance by nuking the potatoes briefly before peeling and slicing just to make sure they get tender when they bake.

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    1. I was impressed they thought they were worth 12.50 an hour. Quite the adult wage. They were worth it. With tip, they made 15.00, each.

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    2. What a deal! For them and you!

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  7. What enterprising young women. Good for them and you.

    I’ll give the recipe a go.

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  8. Sounds as though both you and your cleaners did very well! so glad. And thank you for your recipe and tips!

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  9. How wonderful that the young cleaning ladies worked out so well! They are lucky to get a job with someone as understanding as you. It was a great situation all the way around!

    Thank you for the recipe! I am going to copy it and save it. My scalloped potatoes never came out quite right and I think this will make a difference for me. Thank you again!!

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  10. I would love some cleaning ladies.
    Merle..........

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  11. I have layers of onions in mine, I love onions though many don't. Lovely that these two young women were good cleaners. Nothing like a clean place done by others.

    XO
    WWW

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  12. A clean house AND scalloped potatoes? You're a lucky gal!

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  13. Good on you to get kids to do some cleaning. with a little supervision they can do a great job.

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  14. Clean house you say? Maybe you could send those two down here? No? Okay, I'll get to it myself then. Eventually.
    I've always found it better to turn the heat off entirely when stirring in cheese for melting. I was never much good at making roux, but my youngest son seems to have mastered it. He does love his sauces.

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  15. Glad the cleaning young ladies worked out great and they'll be back in 3 weeks to repeat the process! The recipe for the scalloped potatoes looks yummy!

    betty

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  16. It is a good thing to put your money into the people around you, everyone benefits.

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  17. Haven't had those potatoes for ages - thanks for the reminder!!

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  18. Hari OM
    Not much, you say - and yet a lot with meaning and taste! YAM xx

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  19. That is the French Gratin Dauphinoise recipe isn't it? your version sounds absolutely delicious will try it.

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  20. It is true that as much as I like scalloped potatoes that they can be too crunchy.

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  21. Sounds a really good day.
    Having someone else to properly clean sounds a good idea, then it is easier and less time consuming in between cleans and best of all gives you more weaving and gardening time.

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  22. Years ago Boy Scouts would have 'Bob a Job' weeks. Two scouts would turn up at your house asking for any jobs they could do for one shilling (bob). I wonder what you could buy for a shilling then - quite a lot for a scout.

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  23. That is almost exactly how I make scalloped potatoes. Although I can't remember when I last made them...
    I love your cleaners!

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  24. I parboil the potato slices and then layer them with creaam and sour cream in alternate layers...salt and pepper too, of course. I've never made it with a sauce so will give it a go.

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  25. clean houses are overrated. I hired a cleaner for several months years ago but they would always come late in the day and still be there at 7 PM which is our relax, cocktail, cook dinner time. it was nice to have a clean house but not worth the expense and inconvenience. cause it wasn't cheap. thanks for the recipe, I'll try it.

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    1. I totally agree, until I acquired a very long haired cat, to which I am allergic, in a very small space.

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  26. I'm almost irrational about scalloped potatoes, but yet rarely make them. Definitely trying this recipe. I like the fact that you put them in raw and something that sits in the oven is almost a surprise that someone left for you to find.

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  27. Looks like you found good cleaners. That's not always so easy to do.

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  28. The recipe sounds delicious. I parboil my potatoes, that's the way a chef we knew did them for his restaurant. It means it's not necessary to do the extra-thin slicing, which I get impatient with, and also avoids crunchy potatoes. But it does mean an extra pot to wash :)

    A clean house is a joy. You'll have those girls trained to expert level in no time.

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  29. The recipe had my mouth watering. I've got to try it...Yukon Golds, of course!

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  30. I love the sound of your cleaners! I wish they could come tackle my house, too. It's good for teenagers to get some experience earning money and doing a job they can be proud of.

    Thank you for the recipe, it looks great! I'm so bored with my own cooking these days that new recipes are very welcome.

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  31. It's been ages since I fixed sc. potatoes. I'll see if my gr-daughters would like some. My husband has to cut carbos.

    What sweet girls.

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