Potato au Gratin - Passover

While out visiting theDaughter out in sunny California, I was kvetching, yet again, about how my cell phone can only hold a maximum of 6 photos.  So to shut me up surprise me, she and theFiance bought me a memory card! 

Woo-hoo!  Not only does it store around a million photos (give or take a couple), the quality shot way up.  Turns out that while installing the card, she also adjusted the setting to a higher quality, originally set at very low; otherwise the max 6 would have been max 2.  *blush*

So why am I bragging about a card?  Because the photos today are brought to you by my cell phone. 

Okay, now on to the recipe.  This one starts out with a box of scalloped potato mix.   While I usually prefer scratch recipes, I have a weakness for the overpriced Passover scalloped potato mix.    By adding cheese, it became au Gratin, which is French for oh great--dairy overload.

Because this batch was whipped up erev Purim, I wasn't too particular about the cheese, so I used  this stuff hiding in the back of the fridge:

It has lightly salted, but a little mild for the recipe.  For Passover, I plan to use a cheddar-and-swiss combo.  Feel free to use all cheddar, swiss or any other cheese you prefer. 

Potato au Gratin
Serves 4

1 box (5 oz.) scallop potato mix (any variety)
2 cups water
 1 medium onion
2 Tbl. butter, divided
3-4 ozs. cheddar, swiss or a combination of each (or any other cheese in the back of the fridge), shredded.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter or cooking spray. 

Add scalloped potatoes and the sauce packet; set aside.  Boil the 2 cups of water. 

Dice the onion.  

Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter.

After butter melts, add diced onion. 

Saute about 5 minutes, or until onions are softened and barely begin to color.

Dump onions onto dried potatoes.

Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter...

Then pour the boiling water over everything.

Mix to make sure everything is moistened.  Place in oven and bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until crust starts to brown.

This is a little more browned than I would have liked.  Oh, well.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over the crust. 

Return casserole to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted to your liking (barely melted or lightly browned).

Divide potatoes among 4 plates and serve immediately. 

I have no idea how to store the leftovers.