Maple Bacon Potatoes Au Gratin

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you all get to celebrate love today for family, friends, significant others, and pets. And that you have some Champagne or chocolate or whatever your heart desires.

I celebrated Valentine’s Day a day early yesterday, helping out at the MSPCA Valentine’s Day sale. The sale is also on today at the MSPCA Angell Memorial Hospital in Jamaica Plain. Stop by to pick up flowers, baked goods, dog and cat toys, and other fun items, with all proceeds going to the MSPCA. I was happy to be in the mascot costume; it was a chilly day!

When I got home, I didn’t feel like eating much. I don’t know if it is tiredness from being away over the weekend, or I am coming down with something, but most foods didn’t appeal to me yesterday.

One recipe did, however. My mom gave me a cookbook she received from the Philadelphia cream cheese company, and I zeroed straight in on the Maple Bacon Potatoes Au Gratin. Somehow, though the bins of spinach and other veggies in the house did nothing for me, cheesy potatoes with sweet and salty flavors did. Sometimes you just have to eat what feels good, even if it’s not the healthiest dinner.  I think these would make a great side with any sort of chicken, steak, or pork dish.

Sadly, I deleted all of my prep photos before uploading them. Out of it.

These potatoes are super easy to make. I scaled it back to feed two, which ended up being a portion for about six people.

Before I got started on the ingredients, I preheated the oven to 400.

Then I used my mandolin to cut half a red onion. I added the onion to a dry frying pan and let it get a little browned and crispy, stirring frequently so it didn’t stick.

In the meantime, I cut two large Idaho potatoes into thin slices. I set those aside and got started on the au gratin sauce which consisted of chicken stock, milk, and cream cheese. I basically eyeballed the ingredients until I had a creamy sauce mixed with the onions. To that I added four slices of chopped, cooked bacon and a swirl of maple syrup.

These potatoes need to cook, covered, for a long time. Leave them in for about 40 minutes, then uncover, cook for about 10 more minutes.

What you end up with is a baking dish filled with cheesy, sweet, salty potatoes. The smoky bacon, the crispy onions, the cream cheese, oh the flavor love!

I didn’t feel very well when I started eating, but by the time I finished my first bowl of these, I had my appetite back. I had another bowl, made a fresh carrot and apple juice, and called it a night.

I hope my energy returns!

And I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Ever since the blogger dinner at Stone Hearth Pizza, I have been dreaming of a cozy night in with pizza and bubbly, so that’s what we are doing. I might make a special dessert if I am feeling better.

Do you have any fun plans for tonight?