Best Ever Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole
This recipe was assembled by scouring the internet and taking bits of recipes from here and there. It's got that salty, spicy, somewhat sweet (because ham), cheesy "umami", and it actually has a lot of vegetables in it - you could almost call it a healthy choice, if you ignore the (rather a lot) of sodium in this dish. This casserole is the one that hits all those pleasure centers. I am going to say this serves 6 hungry adults (with bread and a veggie side dish), or 8 if you have children and adults. I have taken this to church potlucks, and watched several kids devour it. The key is to cut your veggies small enough that they are not getting big pieces of carrot, onion and celery, but just small bits of it. I prefer celery and carrots prepared that way, too.
I found a recipe that used the French's Onion Rings, and tried it and it was - um, bland, so that's why I added the salt, pepper and parmesan cheese on top. Parmesan adds a layer of flavor that really helps this dish.
Cook's Note - This old "skool" casserole can be frozen uncooked for months, or kept in the 'fridge for about 3 days uncooked. It's is a great casserole to assemble up to 2 days before and deliver to a sick congregant, relative, loved-one or friend. If you are going to refrigerate or freeze it, omit the toppings. If you add the Onions, then refrigerate, the toppings get mushy and don't crisp when you reheat the casserole. Freeze/Refridgerate your casserole un-topped, with the French's Onions, parmesan, salt & pepper, in a separate container to be added when prepared.
Clark’s
Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Make the cheese sauce.
In a small bowl mix together:
3 TBLS flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper or ¼ tsp cayenne (depending on your heat
tolerance)
1 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp garlic powder
In a medium saucepan, melt:
3 - 4 Tbls butter
When melted, add the flour mixture and cook until lump
free and bubbling
Slowly pour in and mix constantly:
2 cup milk
Cook until lump free and thickened, if it’s too thick add
¼ cup of water and adjust.
Add, and stir until melted and smooth:
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar (I think I used closer to 2 ½ cups,
but who’s counting)
Remove from heat, cover and set aside
Bring a pot of water to boil, and add:
4 cups diced potatoes, about a ½ to ¾ inch dice
Cook until the potatoes are done, about 10 minutes. Drain
water.
In a skillet melt, (if you have your act together you can do this step at the same time your potatoes are cooking):
1 – 2 Tlbs butter
Add:
1 large onion, diced small
3 - 4 stalks of celery, diced small
1 large or 2 medium carrots, diced small
Saute in the butter until the vegetables are softened,
about 7 minutes.
In a large bowl, add:
4 cups of diced ham, I used a fully-cooked ham steak.
Combine:
Cheese sauce
Potatoes
Cooked vegetables
½ cup of green peas (optional, but they add a
nice pop of green color)
Mix ham, cheese sauce and vegetables together well, and
pour into one greased 9” x 13” pyrex casserole, or two 8” x 8” pans to save one
for later.
Top casserole with:
1 large can of French’s Fried Onions
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a small amount of
parmesan cheese, if desired.
Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling and browned.
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