Southwestern Au Gratin Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 425°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set that dish aside for later. Now, grab a medium-sized bowl and combine the smoked pepper jack and cheddar cheeses with a fork. You'll want this mix ready to go later on.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it's all melted, toss in your sliced onions and jalapenos. Stir them around a bit, making sure they all get a nice coat of that melted butter. Let them cook until they're soft and smell amazing—give it about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle the flour over your softened onions and jalapenos, then stir everything together. Cook that mixture for about 2-3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Now, add the minced garlic and let it cook for another 2 minutes until it's fragrant. Your kitchen should be smelling pretty fantastic by now.

Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring as you go to avoid lumps. Once it's all mixed in, stir in the cumin, oregano, seasoned salt, and hot chili powder, if using. Let everything simmer together for a few minutes until it starts to thicken. Then, add 2/3 of your cheese mix, stirring until it's completely melted and you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

Take the remaining cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the dish. If you like a little heat, go ahead and sprinkle on some cayenne pepper too. If not, you can use paprika, or skip this part entirely.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and pop it in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling.

When you take the dish out of the oven, let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This will help the cheesy goodness set a bit, so it doesn’t all ooze out when you slice into it.