Individual Potato Gratins with Parm and Goat Cheese

One of my favorite guilty pleasure meals is most certainly a good old fashioned steak dinna (as I like to call it!). And, let's be real - what's a steak without potatoes? I concoted an incredibly delicious spin on potatoes au gratin that is just a touch lighter and cooks much faster than the classic. My version features garlic, rosemary, parmesan and herbed goat cheese but you can certainly swap those flavors out for something you prefer more (could be bacon and cheddar!). If you've got a mandolin slicer, this recipe with be even easier, otherwise, sharpen your knives! 

Ingredients:

4-6 new red potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk (any variety - I used 2%)
2 tablespoons flour
2 large cloves garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/3 cup shredded parmasean
1/3 log of goat cheese
Salt/Pepper to Taste
Cooking Spray 
Saucepan
Muffin Tin 

Directions:

 1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes well under cold water. Mince garlic, mince rosemary. With a mandolin slicer (or knife), thinly slice potatoes 1/16'' thick. Set aside. Thoroughly spray a 6 cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Stack potatoes in each greased well of the pan, distributing evenly. 
2.) In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter with minced garlic and rosemary until fragrant (about 2 mins). 
3.) Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour slowly, ensuring all lumps are worked out. 
4.) Once flour and butter are incorporated, slowly whisk in 3/4 cup of the milk. Reserve 1/4 cup for the next step. Bring the sauce to a slight bubble over medium and cut back to low. Add salt and pepper to taste. About 5 mins.
5.) Remove saucepan from heat and add in parmasean and goat cheese, stirring constantly with whisk. Add in reserved 1/4 cup of milk and return to heat. Bring back to a bubble until all cheese has melted and incorporated into the sauce.
6.) Pour the sauce over the stacked potatoes in the muffin tin. Don't worry about the sauce staying on top of the potatoes - it will melt through during cooking. Cover lightly with foil and place in over. Bake covered for 10 mins. Remove foil and bake additional 10-20 mins until potatoes are fork tender. Enjoy!

Theses gratins get a beautiful golden crust but remain perfectly gooey and smooth on the inside!