Zucchini Au Gratin

With the warmer weather comes tons of fresh, delicious fruits and veggies. Whether it's straight from your backyard garden, your favorite farmers market, or the produce section of your local super market, big beautiful vegetables should start showing up by the bushels. Having a garden of our own, as well as shopping all the local farmers markets, the question becomes what to do with all of this glorious produce. Well this Au Gratin recipe is one terrific solution. I used zucchini in today's example, but the truth is you can get creative and substitute a variety of different garden veggies in place of the zucchini. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, or a mash up of several veggies together. Just slice them thin to ensure they cook through. I used a 12 inch cast iron skillet, but you can use any oven safe cookware all the way up to a casserole dish. I promise the sauce is plentiful and can cover it! Use whatever amount of veggies fills the particular cookware you decide on. I used about 6 average sized zucchini for this particular skillet.

Here's how to make this creamy, mouthwatering dish:

Ingredients:

• Enough thinly sliced vegetables to fill your selected cookware

(I used 6 average sized zucchini for a 12 inch cast iron skillet)

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 2 cups whole milk

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese ( a little more if you'd like to sprinkle some on top, I did)

• 2 cups freshly shredded cheese of your choice (I used a combo of sharp cheddar and gouda)

• Fresh or dried parsley (optional for flavor/garnish)

• Garlic powder

• Salt

• Pepper

Directions:

1. Slice zucchini or veggies of choice very thin. I did this using a mandolin slicer which made it quick, easy, and all the cuts proportional. Mandolins are an affordable kitchen tool that I definitely recommend.

2. Season veggies with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. I used about a teaspoon of salt and garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Feel free to add your other favorites seasonings and herbs as well. I just kept it basic but you could do Italian seasoning, cajun, or thyme. You can totally personalize it.

3. In a sauce pan melt butter over medium heat.

4. Add garlic and sauté for about a minute.

5. Add flour whisking in to create a thick paste.

6. Whisk in milk and cream

7. Whisk mixture over medium heat until bubbly

8. Add parmesan

9. Return to simmer whisking regularly

10. Add in salt and pepper to taste

11. Pour half your cream sauce into the ovenproof cookware or casserole dish you plan to use

12. Arrange veggies over cream sauce in an overlapping pattern.

13. Sprinkle cheese over veggies

14. Pour on remaining sauce

15. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes

16. Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving. Sauce will thicken as it cools.