Crock Pot for Side Dishes: Potatoes Au Gratin

One of the greatest things about Crock Pots is the convenience of coming home to a warm entree, ready to serve and no additional cooking necessary. But for those days when you'd like to make something in the oven or on the stove, you can still find uses for your Crock Pot - side dishes!

I love my mom's "fall off the bone" BBQ ribs so I decided to recreate her masterpiece for J and I when we were in Vermont...YUM! I baked the ribs in the oven for four hours, slathered in Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce (I swear, the best)...what could make this meal better? Often, ribs are served with a baked potato. I thought I'd treat us to some Potatoes Au Gratin :)



POTATOES AU GRATIN

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup milk

1 can cream of celery soup
6 thinly sliced peeled Idaho potatoes

Preparation:

Mix soup, onion, milk, red pepper, oregano, and cheeses in a large bowl.

Place a layer of potatoes in the Crock Pot. Layer the soup/cheese mix over the potatoes. Repeat until all ingredients are used!

Cook on HIGH 4-6 hours, or until all potatoes are tender.

These potatoes were served with Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Ribs and Garlic Roasted Asparagus.

BBQ RIBS

Ingredients:
Rack of Baby Back Ribs
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce
1 stick Butter, softened

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cover an oven sheet with aluminum foil and place the ribs on top. Loosely cover the ribs with another sheet of aluminum foil.
Coat all surfaces of the ribs well with butter.
Cook buttered ribs in oven for 30 minutes.
Take ribs out and coat with BBQ sauce. Layer the sauce on thick! Recover the ribs. Put them back in the oven for one hour.
Take ribs out, recover with BBQ sauce, and flip over to bake in the oven for another hour.
Repeat one more time (at least).

Tuck a napkin bib into your shirt and get messsssy!!