Skillet au Gratin

We did it! We moved! Monday morning we watched as our POD got taken away and then we hit the road, passing through the outer rings of Sandy as she moved over Virginia. We made it safely to Durham in record time; hurricanes aren’t good for much but they do keep traffic down. Conditions on the road and in Durham stayed manageable, wind and a lot of rain, and we were relieved to hear our loved ones in the NorthEast made it through the storm safely.

On Tuesday afternoon we finally got to meet that puppy that we’ve been mooning over since we found out she was ours a few weeks ago. Kaywinnet Lee Frye (Kaylee) was rescued from a shelter in Persons County along with her five siblings. Three of them were transferred to Triangle Pets Alive, and all three sweet little nuggets have been adopted into forever homes. We are beyond thrilled. She’s sweet and snuggly but also super spunky– she has quite the voice! We always had labs growing up and I’ve wanted a dog for a while, but I didn’t anticipate how quickly I would fall head over heels for her. She’s a bundle of love and I can’t wait to watch her grow.

Wednesday morning we headed to Morehead City, and we’ve been camped out at both the Swamp House and my dad’s house since. It’s chilly and the Swamp’s heater got knocked out during the hurricane, so we’ve been spending our days at dad’s taking advantage of the heat and internet. Dan has been working fulltime, but since I’m transitioning to freelance I’ve been splitting my time between work and puppy duty. It’s been wonderful, lots of long walks around town. This weekend we’ll hang out with my parents and then on Monday, it’s off to Wilmington we go!

Last night, before my stepmom got in, Dad, Dan, and I enjoyed what can only be described as comfort food to the extreme. Pork tenderloin and apples cooked in a dutch oven, gratin potatoes, and sautéed kale. It was exactly what I needed, a hearty meal to help welcome the beginning of winter. I might not be thrilled about the cold, but since Kaylee also seems to hate it at least I’m guaranteed to get a lot of puppy snuggles this winter.

Update: Our move-to-Wilmington date was pushed back to this Wednesday due to unexpected repairs that needed to be taken care of at the house.

Skillet au Gratin

2 cups small baby potatoes

5 red potatoes, quartered

1 cup heavy cream

2 garlic cloves

1 cup vegetable stock

1 block sharp white cheddar, cubed

2 pats butter

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

Combine all spices in a small bowl. In a small pot combine butter, flour, smashed cloves, and most of the spices over low heat. Stir together as butter melts. Add cream, stirring in. Add stock and 1/3 of the cheese. Let simmer until cheese is completely melted.

In a small/medium cast iron pan combine potatoes and the remaining cheese. Sprinkle remaining spices on top of the potatoes. When the cream mixture is ready, pour into the skillet. Pour from the sides so as not to disturb the spice layer on top. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.