Recipe: Easter Au Gratin

Don't let your friends and family get filled up on , before having a hearty dinner.

Several local restaurants, including Maria's and are offering meals for Easter, but if you're doing something at home, try this a Gratin dish from . It's relatively simple, with ingredients that can be grabbed last minute from .

Ingredients:

3 large leeks, cleaned, trimmed and sliced into half moons
1 11 oz. can of Artichokes in water, chopped
5-7 Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup of grated Gruyere
2 cups of half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese to taste 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Sautee your leeks in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper until they begin to soften but are still bright and green. Set aside.

Grease a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Add a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom making sure the surface is covered. You can overlap potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

On top of the potatoes, add a layer of filling. This will consist of half your leeks, half your artichokes and half your gruyere cheese.

Repeat by adding another layer of potatoes (seasoned) and another layer with the remaining leeks, artichokes and gruyere cheese. Cover with a final layer of potatoes. Slowly pour the half and half on top making sure it seeps into all the nooks and crannies. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Add to your oven making sure that there is a baking dish below to capture any over flow.

Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the top and bake for another 15 minutes uncovered. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes so the cheese and cream sets. Enjoy!