Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes and Family Promise

Our church serves as host to families in the local Family Promise program.  I can say a lot about Family Promise but I think their mission statement says it best:

Our mission is to help homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.

The goal and mission isn’t to foster dependency, but to help homeless families achieve sustainable independence.  It’s a mission that I support wholeheartedly and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute. While there are many different configurations and definitions of families, to qualify as a family for the Family Promise program, the family must have minor children.

When a church agrees to sign on as a host for Family Promise, it’s a commitment. The Family Promise families stay one week at the hosting church. During that week, the congregation provides dinner and breakfast as well as sleeping accommodations. The families are encouraged to take leftovers for lunch or make sandwiches with the provisions provided by the hosting church. If the families need transportation, that’s provided either by Family Promise or the hosting church. The families must maintain a regular schedule of work, school or job hunting.

Not all congregations have the resources to host the families for a week but help can be offered in different ways. Donations are always welcomed.  Read more about Family Promise by clicking on their website.

Our small group signed up to provide dinner one of the nights our church hosted the families.  We had to provide dinner for twenty.  I offered mash potatoes but later found out the families had been served mashed potatoes earlier in the week.  I switched to Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes. It seems that was a wise decision because not one potato was left.

I used a disposable aluminum lasagna style pan.  For this many potatoes, you need a pan with deep sides and the pan was the perfect size.

It’s hard to think that there are children who are homeless.  But, that’s a reality.  Family Promise offers hope, counseling, life skills and love to these families.  What a blessing to serve this worthwhile organization.

Y’all come see us!

Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes

preheat oven to 375 degrees

yield: 20 servings

This recipe is easily halved for 10 servings. Or, you can double it if you’re feeding your entire neighborhood and all their cousins.  It’s an easy dish to love and appeals to folks with both sophisticated palates and simple tastes. Kids love it, too.  It’s a suitable side dish for any non-pasta entree.  Well, I suppose you could serve it with lasagna is you’re running low on carbs. A mandolin makes quick work of slicing a gob of potatoes. If you don’t have a mandolin, use a sharp knife but keep the thickness uniform. Keep peeled potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent oxidation. Slice them just before they’re ready to go in the pan.

5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced  1/8th inch thick rounds

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, diced

2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups half and half

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

Spray a lasagna style pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, saute for 5 minutes or until onion starts to soften.

Whisk  in flour and cook an additional three minutes to cook out the raw taste of flour.

Slowly whisk in buttermilk,  half and half, salt and pepper. Continue stirring over medium heat until liquid starts to bubble slightly.

Place half the potatoes in the prepared lasagna pan.

Pour half the buttermilk  sauce over the potatoes.

Arrange remaining potatoes on top and pour on the rest of the buttermilk sauce.

Cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Uncover and cook for an additional 45 minutes or until potatoes are browned.

Serve hot.

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5 from 1 vote

Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• This recipe is easily halved for 10 servings. Or you can double it if you're feeding your entire neighborhood and all their cousins. It's an easy dish to love and appeals to folks with both sophisticated palates and simple tastes. Kids love it, too. It's a suitable side dish for any non-pasta entree. Well, I suppose you could serve it with lasagna is you're running low on carbs. A mandolin makes quick work of slicing a gob of potatoes. If you don't have a mandolin, use a sharp life but keep the thickness uniform. Keep peeled potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent oxidation. Slice them just before they're ready to go in the pan.
• 5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and sliced 1/8th inch thick rounds
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 sweet onion diced
• 2 to 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

• Spray a lasagna style pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, saute for 5 minutes or until onion starts to soften.
• Whisk in flour and cook an additional three minutes to cook out the raw taste of flour.
• Slowly whisk in buttermilk and half and half. Continue stirring over medium heat until liquid starts to bubble slightly.
• Place half the potatoes in the prepared lasagna pan.
• Pour half the buttermilk sauce over the potatoes.
• Arrange remaining potatoes on top and pour on the rest of the buttermilk sauce.
• Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
• Uncover and cook for an additional 45 minutes or until potatoes are browned.
• Serve hot.

Tried this recipe?Mention @syrupandbiscuits or tag #syrupandbiscuits!

Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes and Family Promise. https://t.co/v7LLrhwEUK #familypromise pic.twitter.com/TLbVJVC8AV

— Jackie Garvin (@syrupnbiscuits) December 30, 2015

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