8 servings

8 cups sliced cooked potatoes

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

11/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

Spread 4 cups of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of a greased baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half of the mixture over the potatoes. Repeat layers.

Cover the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until bubbly.

 Per serving: 281 calories, 15 g fat, 39 mg cholesterol, 624 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 3 g fiber.

I tried this recipe with cooked potatoes and with raw ones. The cooked ones obviously take much less time, since they just need to be heated. The raw ones take much longer in the oven, but using them eliminates one step.

If you have leftover potatoes, they're perfect for this recipe, but if you don't, you can slice potatoes and boil them for about 10 minutes, then drain. You could also bake or boil them whole and slice after cooking.

If you use raw potatoes, add an extra 1/3 cup milk, then bake, covered, for about 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Low-fat Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

8 servings

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 can (10.25 ounces) reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup

1 cup reduced-fat grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

8 cups sliced, cooked potaoes

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion, mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, milk and garlic powder. Add the sliced cooked potatoes and gently coat with the sauce.

Place the mixture in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until bubbly.

 Jeanne Jones is a cookbook author and consultant on menu planning. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038.