I love potatoes even though according to the latest studies, they are one of the foods that make you the fattest. Oh well. When you have ancestors who lived through the potato famine, you just have a certain craving sometimes. It was cold and rainy this past weekend and I was just coming off my marathon cooking insanity for my latest cookbook. I wanted something homey, easy, and really, really comforting. So I roasted a whole chicken, steamed some veggies and made this gratin.

2 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

1  1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon garlic oil

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray an oblong baking pan, about 6×9 or 5×8. Layer the potatoes in the pan. You don’ t have to go nuts, you just want them evenly distributed. Put the cream and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the other ingredients. I used a mishmash of cheeses I had leftover (Parmesan, Gruyere, and some white cheddar). Stir until cheese is melted then pour over the potatoes. Bake for about an hour, until the top is browned, the cream is thick and bubbly and you can’t stand it another second and just have to dive in.

It’s creamy, filling, hearty and exactly what I was looking for on a cold fall day!