3 pounds potatoes, peeled, and sliced paper thin
3 cups milk
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
5 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack set in the lower third of oven. Combine sliced potatoes and milk in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, and immediately reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Place a colander over a large bowl and drain potatoes, reserving milk. You should have 2 cups of thick, starchy milk. If potatoes have absorbed more than 1 cup of milk, add enough milk to bring the reserved milk volume to 2 cups.
3. Rub a 3 1/2-quart oval baking dish with garlic and butter. Arrange sliced potatoes in the baking dish; season with salt and pepper. Dot with remaining butter and pour over reserved cooking milk and cream. Sprinkle cheese over top.
4. Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until cheese becomes deep golden brown and milk has reduced and thickened, 80 min approx

What I have done for just us all my life is oddly what my mother did, and she didn't cook often. But still they are good, little clean up, no trouble...

I peel and slice (1/4" or so) 2-3 large russets. Butter or oil a deep casserole dish, heat the oven to about 375.

I start layering, potatoes first. Then about 2-3T flour (sprinkled over), whatever leftover cheese I find to grate in my refrigerator. Some chunked leftover ham. Pepper. If not adding ham and my cheese isn't a sharp type like cheddar, bit of salt. Then another layer, repeating the first ingredients. And a third, but leaving the flour off the top layer. End with cheese.

I pour in milk until I can see it, maybe a little more than half the depth of the potato layers. Cover, bake hour, or hour and a half. The last 30 minutes or so I take the cover off so it will brown and more of the liquid will evaporate.

Very good too, we had some leftover ham about a week ago and I did the no recipe potatoes again....but the ham is optional, can easily be a meatless side dish, or a one pot meal.

Thanks, mor!

I alternate between a white sauce or a can of soup.

Tami

I found several recipes on line, including good ol ' Betty Crocker! Thanks so much for the great suggestions, everyone. It'll be a great dinner with the ham, potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and steamed carrots with honey.