Potato dish just right for holiday dinner

Elaine Magee has worked her makeover magic on everyone’s favorite comfort foods.

The Recipe Doctor’s latest cookbook includes recipes for those heartwarming meals that make you think of home. A registered dietitian and the author of more than 25 books, Magee lightens recipes to make them more healthful.

She tackles meatloaf, fried chicken, coffee cake, clam chowder, chicken pot pies, soup and re-created some of Mom’s best casseroles.

Magee also writes for WebMD.com and contributes to Woman’s Day and All You magazines. Her recipe makeover column appears every other week in the Food section.

Here is her recipe for Potatoes with Leeks and Gruyere from the book:

Potatoes with Leeks and Gruyere

This is a super dish for Easter dinner or any other special occasion – it can even be baked the day before. Just cook it, cover it and pop it into the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, cook it, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Canola oil, cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

1 pound leeks, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced

1 (8-ounce) package light cream cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (more if desired)

1 cup fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk

1 large egg

1/2 cup egg substitute

2 pounds frozen hash browns, shredded and thawed somewhat

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

1 teaspoon dried parsley, or Italian herb blend, or fines herbs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with the cooking spray.

Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until tender (about 8 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.

Combine the cream cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg in the bowl of an electric mixer and bean on low until blended. Slowly pour in the half-and-half, egg and egg substitute, one it a time, and beat until just blended.

Stir in the leeks, hash browns and Gruyere into the milk mixture and pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle parsley over the top, if desired.

Bake until the mixture is cooked throughout and the top is brown (about 55 to 60 minutes). Cool slightly and serve.

Yield: 12 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 237 calories, 10 grams fat (5.8 grams saturated, 38 percent fat calories), 13 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 2.5 grams dietary fiber, 422 milligrams sodium.