Mystery Lovers' Kitchen

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Potatoes au Gratin #recipe by @LeslieKarst

Today, I bring you one of my very favorite dishes, potatoes au gratin, aka cheesy scalloped potatoes. To my mind, there are few dishes more scrumptious than this, because c'mon--potatoes and cheese! And they’re quite easy to prepare, to boot.

But before I get to today's recipe, an exciting announcement: I just learned two days ago that my most recent Orchid Isle Mystery, WATERS OF DESTRUCTION, has been nominated for a coveted Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Mystery! The winner will be announced at Malice Domestic in Bethesda, MD, on April 25, but merely being one of the finalists is an honor I've long dreamed of. Hurrah!

Okay, now back to your regularly scheduled recipe:

I made these taters to go along with grilled dry-aged ribeye steak and my recipe for “real” Caesar salad, and I must say it was one of the best meals I’ve enjoyed in some time.

This recipe feeds a crowd, so feel free to cut it in half and use a smaller baking dish.

Potatoes au Gratin

(serves 8-10)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil

10 small russet potatoes

4 tablespoons flour, divided

1 stick (4 oz.) cold butter

salt and pepper

1 cup whole milk or half-and-half, divided

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a large (8” x 13” or so) baking dish (glass works well, but any will do) with the oil.

Thinly slice the potatoes (with a mandoline if you have one, or using a sharp knife), placing them in a large pot of cold water as you slice them, so they don’t turn brown. I like to keep the peels on, but peel them if you wish.

If you’re not sure how many potatoes you need to fill the baking dish, simply put them in the dish once you think you have enough to test them out, and then return them to the water.

Pour off the starchy potato water and refill the pot with clean water so it covers the potatoes by an inch or two. Place the pot on the stove over high heat, and as soon as it comes to a boil, remove from the heat and drain.

Spread out half of the potatoes over the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle half the flour (2 tablespoons) over the potatoes, then dot evenly with chunks of half of the butter (½ stick). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour half the milk (½ cup) evenly over the potatoes, then sprinkle half the cheese (½ cup) on top.

Spread out the rest of the potatoes on top of this layer, and repeat the process with the flour, butter, salt and pepper, milk, and grated cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is nicely browned. (See photo at top.)

Let rest 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

Bon appétit!

🌱 🍋 🌿

Coming April 7!

Orchid Isle Mystery #3

MURDER, LOCAL STYLE

Available for pre-order here.

"The beauties and customs of Hawai‘i provide a striking backdrop for a murder with an unexpected motive."

Kirkus Reviews

🍍 🌴 🍹

Out now in paperback!

Orchid Isle Mystery #2

WATERS OF DESTRUCTION

Buy link here.

2026 Lefty and Agatha Award Finalist

for Best Mystery/Contemporary Mystery!

"Immerse yourself in Hawaiian lore and savor the portrayal of the stunning landscapes
while enjoying the entertaining mystery."

Kirkus Reviews

Also available

in paperback!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery #1

Buy link here

2025 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Mystery!

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly.

Praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

--Publishers Weekly

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

is the 2024 Silver Medal Winner for both the

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

and the IPPY Award!

Buy link here

Praise for Justice is Served:

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries (as well as my other books) are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

FRITO SHEPHERD'S PIE from author Cleo Coyle for National #CornChipDay #glutenfree

With National Corn Chip Day coming up this Thursday (we kid you not), Marc and I decided to re-share our own unique twist on the famous Frito Pie, which the late, great chef Tony Bourdain once called "shockingly tasty."

We agree! And our version takes it to the next level...

Our Frito Shepherd's Pie is a unique cross between

a tasty taco and pan of loaded potato skins.

And the best part?

It’s full of good nutrition.

Read on to learn more...

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery
series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo

Our readers may remember this amazing pie from our 13th culinary mystery, Billionaire Blend. In the book, Detective Mike Quinn tells the story of solving a homicide with members of the NYPD Bomb Squad (historically known as the Italian Squad).

When the case is done, members of the squad take Quinn to an Irish pub for a night of "Frito Shepherd’s Pies" and some serious drinking. :)

While we're not advocating the drinking, this is the very pie that Detective Quinn enjoyed, and it's not only delicious, it's nutritious because we make it with lean ground meat, mix in black beans, and whip up our mashed potatoes with the skins on. The next day, a single leftover slice on a bowl of lettuce gives us an instant taco salad.

Billionaire Blend:
A Coffeehouse Mystery
Click to learn more.

The recipe is deceptively simple. Yes, you start with a basic Frito Pie and top it with a Shepherd’s Pie crust of mashed potatoes. But there’s a trick to keeping the flavors balanced and avoiding a big mouth full of potatoes: We make our mashed potato crust very thin and mix it with a secret ingredient for great flavor: sour cream.

Sour cream is a classic topping for Tex-Mex dishes, but it’s also fantastic with potatoes, so it adds the perfect flavor note to the recipe, and (as mentioned above) turns our Frito Pie into a delicious cross between a tasty taco and a pan of loaded potato skins.

So if you’re tired of pizza (or looking for a gluten-free indulgence), consider this wonderful one-dish dinner. It’s incredibly satisfying, fun to eat, and easy to make.

~ Cleo

ORDER UP!

To download this recipe
in a free PDF document you can

print, save, or share, click here.

For the free PDF
of this recipe, click here.

Cleo Coyle's
Frito Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups mashed potatoes (leftover or fresh, recipe provided at end*)

1/2 cup sour cream

1-3/4 cups whole Fritos corn chips + 1/4 cup crushed Fritos for garnish

1 to 1-1/2 pounds ground meat made into chili or taco meat filling (we like to add black beans to our for additional nutrition and fiber)

8 ounces Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or taco cheese mix, shredded

1 jalapeno pepper, cut into rings (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Prep Step—Make your mash: Re-warm your leftover mashed potatoes in a microwave or on your stovetop. Or create fresh mashed potatoes from scratch (recipe provided at end of directions*). Whisk in sour cream. Set the finished mashed potato topping aside.

Build Pie with...

Layer 1—Fritos: Line the bottom of a 10-inch oven-proof skillet or cast iron pan (or casserole dish or deep dish pie pan) with a single layer of whole Fritos corn chips (about 1-3/4 cups).

Layer 2—Meat: Heat your chili or taco meat (and beans) until nice and hot, and then evenly spoon the mixture over the layer of corn chips in the pan, covering the chips completely.

Layer 3—Cheese: Sprinkle a little over half of the shredded cheese on top of the meat.

Layer 4—Taters: Now dollop the warm mashed potatoes and sour cream from Prep Step over the meat and cheese. Use the back of the spoon to carefully smooth it into a thin, even layer. This is a thin layer so take your time and do it gently.

Layer 5—Garnish: Sprinkle the top of the pie with the rest of the shredded cheese and the final 1/4 cup of crushed Fritos corn chips.

Broil: Finish the pie for a few minutes under a preheated broiler. Watch for the cheese to melt and the potatoes to become lightly browned on their edges. This will take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes, depending on your broiler. (Check often because broilers can burn things very easily!) Cut into slices and serve immediately. You can further garnish with jalapeno rings, salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, olives, or other favorite toppings you might use for tacos or nachos.

*NOTE ON HOW TO MAKE
FRESH MASHED POTATOES:

Start with 3 large (or 6 small) white potatoes, about 1-½ pounds. Wash and cut into thick slices, leaving skins on for better nutrition, and boil for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft when fork tested. Drain well and mash with a potato masher or simply use a fork to smash the potatoes into small lumps and whisk vigorously until smooth. Follow recipe as directed, mixing potatoes first with sour cream, and then continuing with the recipe steps.

BONUS RECIPE - LEFTOVER LOVE

INSTANT TACO SALAD!

This pie reheats like a dream. A slice of it also makes a great instant taco salad. Warm up a slice in the microwave and break it up over a fresh bowl of lettuce. Throw on some slices of avocado and olives or a fresh dollop of guacamole, and you’re set for a quick, healthy lunch.