Scalloped Potatoes (A Microwave Recipe)

When That Girl and her husband bought a house earlier this year, I took her the full-size microwave she had had in her apartment when she was single.  The Other Half couldn't understand why anyone would want that big of a microwave.  "Nobody cooks in a microwave.  You just use it to heat up food for the kids."

She and I just looked at each other.

Yes, you really CAN cook in the microwave.  From scratch.  Not a from a box.  Like any other cooking method, some foods do better than others.  Here's one that made a believer out of me.  This recipe is from a hardback cookbook that was included inside the box with my very first microwave oven - Christmas of 1984!

Scalloped Potatoes

4 T butter
4 T flour
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 c milk
4 c thinly sliced peeled white potatoes
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Place butter in a 1-qt measuring cup and microwave about 30 seconds until melted.  Blend in flour, salt, and pepper to make a paste.  Gradually stir in milk.  Microwave 4-6 minutes, stirring after each minute, until thick and creamy.  

Spray a 2-qt microwave-safe casserole dish.  In the dish, layer half of the potatoes, half of the onion, and half of the sauce.  Repeat the layers.  Cover, and microwave at 70% power for 20 minutes.  Remove from microwave and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE:  This recipe was originally developed using a super-powerful (at the time!) 750-watt microwave.  I've adjusted it for 1,100 watts.