Mrs. Butland's Potatoes

Mrs. Butland was a good friend of my parents' while I was growing up and, in addition to be an incredibly interesting woman, she was a wonderful cook.

I don't know how often she made these potatoes. For all I know she made them once for Mom when she was a guest at the Butlands' farm. Regardless, for all of my life they've been known as Mrs. Butland's potatoes and Mrs. Butland's potatoes they shall remain.

They're a special dish and Mom always made them on Christmas Eve after all the hustle and bustle of present wrapping and baking was done. My stepdad, mom, brother and I would sit down to a peaceful dinner with soothing Christmas carols softly playing in the background, the kitchen's Christmas tree's white lights softly glowing and a plate of delicious food that, as far as I can remember, always included these potatoes.

Since marrying and missing out on that evening's tradition at Mom's house I've begun making them for my husband and kids on Christmas Eve. And now that Mom is gone, tomorrow I will make the potatoes for the same crew that she once made the potatoes for, along with my husband and kids, my dad, stepmom (BadgerCook) and sister (Bakerbabe), and my stepdad's girlfriend and her daughter.

Mrs. Butland's Potatoes

6-7 large potatoes, peeled and grated*
2 large onions, finely grated*
heavy cream (about 16 ounces)
butter (about half a stick, plus more for greasing pan)
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take a shallow baking dish-- I usually use a large glass pie pan-- and butter it very generously. Spread onions into pie pan. Add potatoes to the grated onions in the pie dish and stir them so that the mixture is evenly distributed.

Add a generous amount of salt and pepper and stir in.

Pour cream until entire mixture is barely covered. Place dollops of butter all over the top. Bake until liquid is nice and thick and the potatoes are starting to brown. This usually takes about 30 minutes, possibly 45 depending on the oven.

*Mom swore up and down that you should NOT use a food processor for the grating. I do and haven't noticed that it affects the potatoes adversely.