"Fleming's" Scalloped Potatoes

My sister first told me about these potatoes after having them at the Fleming's Steakhouse. She raved about them and could not fight off the craving she kept having for them after that. So, she googled it and found the recipe online. For Christmas this year, I remembered her telling me about it and thought we would try it with the ham this year. It was so good. We all enjoyed it- even the leftovers! (Although the cream does separate when you reheat it- still tastes great!) So, here is the link to the recipe and I will copy and paste it here. My brother-in-law actually ran out to the store to get some of the last minute ingredients to make this and brought home red jalepeno, which I didn't know existed. So, next year, I thought it would be cool to use red and green jalepeno and make it Christmasy!

Sorry, no picture. It was too crazy on Christmas with trying to get the kids fed and all, the lighting was bad (it was already dark) and I made it in my ugly metal 9x13 pan. So, you'll just have to picture scalloped potatoes with a beautifully browned top with adorable little red and green sprinkles throughout.

Here is the link:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/-FLEMINGS-SCALLOPED-POTATOES-1254229

After I made it, my sister gave me the actual recipe from the Fleming's Steakhouse website. Here is the link to that:
http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/e-newsletter/2010/march/potato-recipe

You can check them both out and make your choice- the real deal or the imposter that I made, but was very good:

Fleming's Scalloped Potatoes (copied and pasted here from Epicurious)

Servings: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

1-1/2 C. heavy cream
1 C. half-and-half
2 t. salt
2 t. black pepper, finely ground
1 small jalapeño (I used only a 1/2 of a small one and it was perfect for my mild crowd)
3 oz. leeks
3 C. cheddar cheese, grated
4 lbs. russet potatoes

Preparation

Heat cream and half-and-half in large sauce pot on medium high heat to simmer. Add salt and black pepper.

Finely dice the jalapeño. Cut off ends of leeks, clean them and dice only the bottom 3

inches of leek into 1/2-inch dice. Place jalapeños and leeks in a large mixing bowl. When cream is hot, remove from heat, add cheddar cheese and blend in thoroughly.

Peel potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch-thick circles on a mandoline slicer, by hand or with the slicing blade of a food processor. Combine potatoes and cream mixture in mixing bowl with leeks and jalapeño and mix well. Note: OR buy the presliced breakfast potatoes and use 2 bags

Spray sides and bottom of a 9 x 12-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place potato mixture in pan and evenly distribute the potatoes.

Cover with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. Bake in 350°F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove wrap and foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes to brown top.
6 to 8 servings.

Oven Fries

Every once in a while I have a craving for French Fries. Since I very seldom go out, this means making them myself. My sister shared this recipe with me that she got from America's Test Kitchen. It is so good, yet not fried, which makes me happy. Yes, it uses some oil, but at least the fries are not immersed in it!

So, if you have a hankering for French Fries and want them to be healthier and want to actually make them yourself, try this out!

Oven Fries
adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Start to finish about 1 hour
serves about 4

Ingredients:
3 large russet potatoes
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper

Put the oven rack on the lowest rack and preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Peel and cut the potatoes in even lengths. Put potatoes in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 10 minutes.

Pout 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a rimmed baking sheet and spread around to coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Drain the potatoes, spread on paper towels, pat dry.

Toss the dried potatoes with 1 Tbsp. oil and arrange all potatoes in a single layer on oiled baking sheet.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 5 minutes. Take foil off and bake 10-20 minutes or until the side touching the pan is crispy. (You should check after 10 minutes to see how it is going. It all depends on the size of your fries and your oven.)

Turn all the fries over (trying not to destroy them- I inevitably rip some apart)
Turn the pan and put them back in the oven for 10-15 more minutes until crispy and golden on both sides.

Take out and put on paper towel or clean paper grocery sack. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!!