Cake Mania

There is a game, probably the first I played on the computer, called Cake Mania.  I've played several versions of  it for years.  I forget about it for a while and then I go back.  I feel I am living cake mania right now and it is all Nordic ware's fault.  As I said before, I bought the original bundt recipe collection soft back, small cookbook.  But when you buy a Nordic pan some recipes are there too.  To sum up, my family cannot eat cakes as fast as I am turning them out.  It's like summer and tomatoes...no one leaves the house without tomatoes  (and kale) and now no one leaves without cake!  I took two to Joe and Glenda and I should have taken more because they were gone pretty quickly.  But they are an hour and a half away and now my oven, like a siren, keeps calling.  I don't even want to do it, but I just now read the walnut cottage bread recipe and guess what I have the cottage cheese that it calls for.  I have everything the recipe calls for; somebody stop me.

(I'll let you know how it turns out and if it is worth fooling with in my opinion.)

Seriously, I have to get off the cake and on to reality so I went to the Amish Girls Can Cook Blog and what do you know; there was something just as fattening but wonderful.  Since I introduced fennel bulbs to the family last week and they didn't shut down the kitchen in protest, I thought they might go for this dish.  It is lovely.

 

Gourmet Scalloped Potatoes Flan (from Amish Girls Can Cook blog) I made this for Sunday and it is delicious!

What makes these potatoes so special? Caramelized onions and fennel and Gruyere cheese lay between thin slices of Yukon Gold potatoes. You're going to need 45 minutes to caramelize the onions and fennel, but it's well worth it.....and you can do that step well ahead of time.
Serves 4.

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 small fennel bulb
• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (I used some good blue cheese also.)
• 1 cup half and half or light cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarse pepper

1. Cut onion in half and then slice each half into thin strips.
2. Cut leafy part of fennel away from bulb. Cut bottom off of bulb. Cut bulb in half and slice each half in thin slices. The cut onions and fennel should measure a good 4 cups when mixed together. While caramelizing they will cook down to about 1 cup of caramelized onions and fennel.
3. Place butter and oil in a heavy bottom fry pan. Heat over medium heat until butter has melted. 
4. Add cut up mixture of onions and fennel. 
5. Stir until they become coated well in the butter and oil and begin to sizzle. Turn temperature down and allow them to cook down and caramelize, stirring every 10 minutes for 45 minutes. The mixture will brown, but not become crispy or burnt. If you find they are getting too dark turn down the heat. Little bits of brown will form on the bottom of the pan, stir them in as they add lots of flavor. After 45 minutes they will have cooked down to approximately 1 cup of soft caramelized onions and fennel. 
6. While this mixture is caramelizing boil a big pot of water. 
7. Peel potatoes. Using a mandolin or sharp knife cut potatoes into 1/8" thick slices.
8. Once water is boiling add sliced potatoes and boil for approximately 5 minutes or until they just start to soften. They should still be a bit crisp. This step helps to speed up the baking time.
9. Drain potatoes in colander.
10. Grate cheese.
11. Heat cream and stir in salt and pepper.
12. Grease a flan pan or low round casserole dish. 
13. Add a layer of potatoes, then some of the caramelized onions and fennel, cheese, potatoes, onions and fennel, cheese, making 3 layers ending with cheese.
14. Pour hot cream with seasoning over everything. 
15. Bake in 350º oven for 35-40 minutes. If you find it's getting too dark but potatoes are still not soft, lightly cover with foil and continue to bake, checking every 5 minutes.