Scalloped Potatoes

CASE: I needed to bring a potato dish to Brandon's family potluck. I wanted to patatas bravas, but really didn't have time to experiment, besides, I needed to cook enough for 20 people and was concerned not everyone would want spicy potatoes. Okay. What to make...I then wanted to do a roasted potato dish but then I would have to make it the night before b/c we were expected to be there all day. I jsut didn't think it would hold up. So what did I decide to do? Scalloped potatoes! Fool-proof, I thought. (Wrong!) I didn't want to bake it the night before, b/c I was worried it wouldn't taste good, and I figured I could easily pop it in the oven for an hour and then be done with it. Wrong again! The recipe I followed is below. I used pancetta and used gruyere (what a waste), but otherwise followed it to a T. I had to double the cooking time and then it came out...curdled. There's no other word for it. The half-and-half separated and CURDLED. It looked so gross. Everyone was so kind, and there was nothing to do but serve it, as everyone insisted. This was such a bad experience, I NEVER WANT TO MAKE SCALLOPED POTATOES AGAIN.

SCALLOPED POTATOES

3 Tbsp butter
2 lbs (about 4 medium sized) Russet potatoes, peeled, sliced
1/8-inch thick1 large yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
2 thick slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
2 1/2 cups grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
2 1/2 cups to 3 cups of half-and-half (half milk, half cream)Salt and pepper

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large casserole dish with 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter. If you use a casserole dish that is about 9x13 (bigger than the one shown) you'll have more surface area, more of the potatoes will brown, and the cooking time will be faster.
2 Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer on 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese. Layer on 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 of the parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Layer on the remaining sliced onions, 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese, the remaining bacon, parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices. Add the half and half. Dot the potatoes with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter.
3 Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. After an hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes. When done, the potatoes should be tender, but not mushy, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed.
Serves 8.

VERDICT: NOT GUILTY! This was horrible. I was embarrased to serve it.