Cooking for Two — Deluxe Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

     Leftover ham prompted Deluxe Scalloped Potatoes for two. My recipe starts with a seasoned Basic White Sauce to which I added sautéed onion and mushrooms, Cheddar cheese and ham. I simply added the sauce to layers of thinly sliced russet potatoes.

     This makes enough for seconds or a leftover portion for the next day.

Deluxe Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

3 tablespoons butter

½ of a onion, finely chopped

3 button mushroom, sliced thin

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups milk

½ teaspoon salt

Liberal dash of black pepper

Light sprinkling of cayenne pepper

½ to ¾ cups grated Cheddar cheese (more or less to your taste)

About 1 cup (more or less) of chopped ham

2 to 3 russet potatoes, peeled & sliced thin

Paprika

1. White Sauce: Over low heat in saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and sauté, then add mushrooms and cook a couple of minutes. Stir in flour and cook 3 to 5 minutes to avoid a raw flour taste. Add milk, and stir until smooth and thick. Add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cheese and ham as it cooks.

   

   Sauce is cooking but not yet thickened.

2. Spray casserole dish with pan release. Add a layer of white sauce mixture, then a layer of potatoes and sprinkle with paprika; repeat, ending with a layer of sauce and another sprinkling of paprika.

   

   First layer of potatoes have been added to the deluxe white sauce.

   

   A layer of the deluxe white sauce covers a layer of potatoes.

   

   Layered sauce and potatoes is ready to go into the oven.

3. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a 350° oven with lid on for first 15 to 20 minutes; then remove lid and bake until potatoes are fork tender and top is nicely browned and mixture is bubbly.

   

   Scalloped potatoes and ham ready to go into our small Breville oven. By the way, the casserole is a hand thrown Barry's Original!

   

   Out of the oven, and ready to serve.

   

   I portioned our Deluxe Scalloped Potatoes & Ham and served Aunt Waunita's Broccoli Salad on the side.

Recipe without photos . . .

Deluxe Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

3 tablespoons butter

½ of a onion, finely chopped

3 button mushroom, sliced thin

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups milk

½ teaspoon salt

Liberal dash of black pepper

Light sprinkling of cayenne pepper

½ to ¾ cups grated Cheddar cheese (more or less to your taste)

About 1 cup (more or less) of chopped ham

2 to 3 russet potatoes, peeled & sliced thin

Paprika

1. White Sauce: Over low heat in saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and sauté, then add mushrooms and cook a couple of minutes. Stir in flour and cook 3 to 5 minutes to avoid a raw flour taste. Add milk, and stir until smooth and thick. Add salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cheese and ham as it cooks.
2. Spray casserole dish with pan release. Add a layer of white sauce mixture, then a layer of potatoes and sprinkle with paprika; repeat, ending with a layer of sauce and another sprinkling of paprika.
3. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour in a 350° oven with lid on for first 15 to 20 minutes; then remove lid and bake until potatoes are fork tender and top is nicely browned and mixture is bubbly.