Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: VGR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 10-15 min.
Cook time: 55-60 min.
Difficulty: 2

My mom use to make these now and then back when I was a teen. One day I was telling Zo how I really loved them and miss having them. Zo of course wanted to try them but I was unable to remember how to make them. I didn't want to admit that fact however. I could have just called up my mom and asked but I've never been very good at that kind of thing. I never had to worry about forgetting I needed to make them for Zo because when I made any kind of potatoes Zo always asked, "When are you going to make me some of those German potatoes?" Finally after making scalloped potatoes from scratch with my Grandma, I realized I could just base a recipe off of them to make some. They were just as good as I remembered!

Ingredients:
6-8 red or gold Potatoes (enough to almost fill an 8x8 baking dish)
1 medium sweet onion (chopped about 1 cup)
1 8.75 oz can sauerkraut (drained)
6 slices of deli cut bacon
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups white cheddar (shredded)
3-4 cloves garlic (diced, 1 tbsp - 1 1/2 tbsp)
2-3 green onions (chopped, 2/3 cup)
1 cup milk
kosher salt (to taste)
fresh crack pepper (to taste)

Cook potatoes in a potato crisper bag in microwave for the time it takes to cook two potatoes (my microwave has a potato button, I just have to hit it two times for two potatoes.) Allow to cool. (Alternately if you do not have a potato bag you can bake potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.) After potatoes have cooled cut into bite sized pieces.

In a medium skillet over medium high heat brown bacon slices. Remove bacon from pan and let cool enough to dice into bits.

In the bacon oil, saute onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes. Whisk in flour until smooth rue has been formed (3 minutes.) Add milk and whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cheese until fully melted.

Mix potatoes, sauerkraut and bacon by hand in an 8x8 baking dish. Pour your cheese rue over potatoes (you can mix it together if you please) and bake covered at 375 for 40-45 minutes.