Do you want fancy? I've done this one for larger dinners at Easter and it's good - it's Martha Stewart

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.

Gosh, that first recipe sounds good. The second one totally brings back memories of my mother fixing them for the family. I think that's the direction I'll go in.

Thanks, mor!

I used to do the sprinkle flour method, but found that making a white sauce is MUCH creamier. Make a roux of butter & flour; add cream and/or milk. Stir still it thickens. (add salt & pepper to taste) Pour over your sliced potatoes, onions and any meat you may or may not want to use. I used to use ham, but have found that sliced smoked sausage or cheddar wurst type sausage is very yummy. Bake till the potatoes are soft. YUM; think that's what I'll make for dinner! :)

I'm with Juellie--a white sauce is much more reliable. With that 'sprinkle in the flour' method, it's hit or miss--you can end up with unappetizing globs of cooked flour throughout your casserole. I've found that it's really worth taking the few extra minutes to make a white sauce.

A can of mushroom soup is also good, instead of the white sauce. I've done that for years, and my hubby who despises mushrooms loves my scalloped potatoes.

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

Rhizo, I use the one in the Betty Crocker cook book. If you don't have one, let me know and I will post the recipe. It's really good. I do add cheese and onion to it, but that's all I change.

Tami

Tami - I think that's where my "recipe" started from! That and apple pie. Now I mostly do my own thing, but back when I was a very young bride (18 yrs old!) I lived by that cookbook. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
Now whenever I follow a recipe, my dh is concerned; he says my own concoctions are much better than any recipe. :) Smart man! ;)

I used to make them using a bechemel sauce until a busy mother of three introduced me to the boxed version. Not being a buyer of prepared foods, I was astonished at the good quality of the end product. I've since converted other from-scratch cooks to the ease of Bettty Crocker in a box...lol.

Ok, I'm going with a nice buttery white sauce, a little onion. I can picture leftovers with cheese and pieces of ham.

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.

I don't have a recipe but my Mom and I make a simple white sauce and then add chunks of sharp cheddar cheese, the sauce is nice and smooth and cheesy!!!!