Potatoes O'Brien: A Tasty Tradition

"I first came across a recipe for Potatoes O'Brien in 1973 when my grandmother gave me a slim cookbook that included a recipe for "O'Brien au Gratin Potatoes." It's a slim volume named Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One-Arm Cookery. It wasn't that Mrs. Rasmussen had only one arm, it's that one arm was already dedicated to holding a beer while she cooked. The book was originally a gift from my mother to her mother and then was passed on to me. Although I seldom use the book, its family heritage makes it a treasured posession, and I do love my version of this traditional dish. (Larger image.) Serves 2...."