Best Potatoes Au Gratin EVER!!!

Here's another one. We took these potatoes to a pot-luck Christmas dinner last year and it was a huge hit! So good these have been dubbed "perfect potatoes" at our house. Don't try and figure out how many fat calories are in a serving because it's too tasty to matter!

1 lb. bacon- diced
1 Tbs. fennel seeds
1/2 sweet onion- diced
1 Tbs. basil
5 Tbs. butter
5 Tbs. flour
3 1/2 c. whole milk -or- half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. fresh shredded Parmesan (or another cheese) + a little to garnish on top
2 lbs of potatoes-
I like to have them boiled and sliced beforehand (just barely cooked, not mushy)

Saute bacon, fennel seeds, onion and basil until bacon is brown and onions are soft. Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan and set aside. Resist the temptation to snitch it- you'll need it later! In a saucepan melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Slowly add the milk or half and half while whisking to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil while stirring. Set heat to low, add cheese, salt and pepper- stir until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat. Put a little sauce in the bottom of your baking dish and then layer potatoes, sauce, bacon, potatoes, sauce, bacon, until it is used up. Sprinkle some cheese on top and put in the oven at 350 degrees. It will take about 1/2 hour if you've already boiled the potatoes, 1 1/2 hrs if you are using raw ones. Enjoy!

Don't use powdered Parmesan- it just doesn't melt and make the sauce good. If you can't find fresh shredded use some Monterrey jack instead. Sometimes I use the bacon drippings instead of some of the butter in the sauce. If your bacon was really fatty you might not need any butter at all. This makes it really yummy and is my favorite way to make it. I hope you like it!