Scalloped Potatoes and Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

I love a good side dish. Sometimes, more than the “main course”.  For me, scalloped potatoes have the potential to trump any meat, any day. And while this honey mustard grilled chicken was really good, the scalloped potatoes were great. I’ve attempted these half a dozen times before, but never got it just right. All that practice paid off with these bad boys. Issues I’ve had before – not enough/the right cheese, potatoes not cooked through and overall too bland were solved with using parmesan cheese (and lots of it), cooking it at a high heat (425 degrees) and flavoring it with thyme and green onions. Viola. Awesome potatoes.

Scalloped Potatoes

6 medium sized russet potatoes
2 cups parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup flour
2 tbsp green onions, chopped
1 ½ tsp salt, divided
¼ tsp pepper
1 stick butter, divided
2 cups half and half
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme

1.)  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel potatoes and slice thin. Place in a bowl of water to prevent discoloring.
2.)  In a separate bowl, stir together 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese, flour, green onions, ¾ tsp salt and pepper. Set aside.
3.)  In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add half and half, half the stick of butter, garlic, thyme and ¾ tsp salt.  Heat thoroughly and stir occasionally.
4.)  While sauce is heating, place the other half stick of butter in a casserole dish and place in the oven to melt. Watch that it doesn’t burn.
5.)  Drain and dry potatoes. Once butter is melted in the casserole, remove dish from oven and begin by layering a thin layer of potatoes on bottom, sprinkle evenly with the cheese/flour mixture, and then pour some of the sauce on top as well. Repeat until you’ve layered all potatoes (I think I had 4 layers). After the final layer, take remaining ½ cup of parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top.
6.)  Bake for 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and potatoes are fork-tender.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

3 chicken breasts
¼ cup Dijon mustard (I use Grey Poupon Country Dijon)
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

1.)  Place all ingredients in a gallon Ziploc bag and make sure chicken is evenly coated. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
2.) Grill on a preheated grill for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side.