Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
This Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe is true comfort food. Warm and creamy, this recipe has a light scattering of cheddar cheese to bring everything together. I serve these scalloped potatoes with salad and some green veggies to counter its richness. Often times I prep the casserole the night before and bake it first thing in the morning, so all it needs is to be reheated before dinner. My kids wake up with a tantalizing smell that makes them think about the dinner they will have after a long day of school. Comforting thoughts as they head out the door. Sunday nights when I was a kid my Mom always made a big dinner. She set the table with her fine china, linen napkins, and invited my Grandpa to join us. The menu usually included something that wouldn’t be cooked on a normal weeknight, a beef roast, roasted chicken, or a ham. Early the next week, we ate the leftovers. This scalloped potatoes and ham recipe is one of those leftover meals. I remember smelling it cook, my mouth watering, and thinking about how the leftover meal was almost always better than the big Sunday meal it came from. This is a recipe I make often, even when I don’t have leftover ham and end up using a good quality store bought ham steak instead. Try serving these potatoes with a nice salad topped with a homemade vinaigrette or Sauteed Rainbow Chard.
This Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe is true comfort food. Warm and creamy, this recipe has a light scattering of cheddar cheese to bring everything together. I serve these scalloped potatoes with salad and some green veggies to counter its richness. Often times I prep the casserole the night before and bake it first thing in the morning, so all it needs is to be reheated before dinner. My kids wake up with a tantalizing smell that makes them think about the dinner they will have after a long day of school. Comforting thoughts as they head out the door. Sunday nights when I was a kid my Mom always made a big dinner. She set the table with her fine china, linen napkins, and invited my Grandpa to join us. The menu usually included something that wouldn’t be cooked on a normal weeknight, a beef roast, roasted chicken, or a ham. Early the next week, we ate the leftovers. This scalloped potatoes and ham recipe is one of those leftover meals. I remember smelling it cook, my mouth watering, and thinking about how the leftover meal was almost always better than the big Sunday meal it came from. This is a recipe I make often, even when I don’t have leftover ham and end up using a good quality store bought ham steak instead. Try serving these potatoes with a nice salad topped with a homemade vinaigrette or Sauteed Rainbow Chard.
- Carbohydrate 4.68656249603821 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (80g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 4.68656249603821 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 18 calories
Step-by-step
- Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch slices.
- Dice the onion and cut the ham into bite-sized pieces.
- In a 2-quart gratin pan, layer the ingredients starting with a layer of overlapping sliced potatoes, top with 1 tbsp diced onions, sprinkled over the potatoes, followed by a layer of ham slices, 1 tbsp of flour and a 1/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Repeat the layering process three or more times until all the ingredients are used up.
- Pour 2 cups of whole milk or heavy cream over the top.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour in a 350° oven.
- Remove the foil for the last 1/2 hour of baking, so the cheese browns.
- Don’t worry that there isn’t any salt or pepper in this recipe, the ham and cheddar add all the seasoning the dish needs.
A Taste of Home: My Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Recipe
The aroma of baking potatoes, mingled with the savory scent of ham, is a scent that instantly transports me back to my childhood. Sunday dinners at my Grandma’s house were legendary. The table, always set with her best china and crisp linen napkins, was the center of our family’s world. The main course was often a roast, a chicken, or, my favorite, a delicious ham. But it wasn’t the Sunday dinner itself that holds the most cherished memories; it was the leftovers. The transformation of those glorious Sunday remnants into a comforting weeknight meal – this Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe – is the true star of my culinary childhood.
My mom was a master of repurposing. She understood the magic of transforming humble leftovers into something entirely new and utterly delicious. This scalloped potato dish, born from the remnants of a celebratory Sunday ham, became a staple in our home. The creamy, cheesy layers, infused with the rich flavor of the ham, were a welcome sight on a busy weeknight. Even now, as a busy working mom myself, this recipe remains a favorite, a comforting constant in our often chaotic lives. I often prepare it the night before, popping it in the oven first thing in the morning so it’s ready when we are. That tantalizing smell of baking cheese and ham is the perfect way to kick-start our day. The kids practically sprint to the breakfast table, the promise of deliciousness fueling their school-bound energy.
This recipe isn't just about the convenience; it’s about the memories, the love, and the simple pleasure of a well-loved family meal. It's about the comfort of familiar tastes, the ease of a simple preparation, and the satisfaction of creating something both delicious and deeply personal. The creamy sauce, the perfectly cooked potatoes, and the salty sweetness of the ham combine to create a dish that is both elegant and incredibly satisfying. And while leftover ham is traditionally used, I’ve found that a good quality store-bought ham steak works just as well in a pinch, ensuring that this comforting classic is always within reach. Serving it with a crisp salad, perhaps tossed with a homemade vinaigrette or some sauteed rainbow chard, adds a fresh counterpoint to the richness of the dish.
Beyond the Recipe: This scalloped potatoes and ham recipe isn't simply a collection of ingredients and instructions; it's a vessel for memories, a bridge connecting generations through the shared experience of a warm, comforting meal. It's a testament to the power of simple ingredients transformed into something extraordinary, a reminder that even the simplest dishes can hold the most profound significance. It's a dish that tastes like home, like family, like love.
This recipe represents more than just a meal; it embodies the spirit of resourcefulness, the joy of repurposing, and the enduring power of tradition. It’s a story woven into every creamy layer, a legacy passed down from one generation to the next. And that, perhaps, is the most delicious ingredient of all.
The beauty of this recipe lies not only in its taste but also in its versatility. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses, add herbs like thyme or rosemary for a deeper flavor profile, or even incorporate other vegetables like carrots or broccoli for an added nutritional boost. But no matter how you choose to personalize it, the core of this recipe – the warmth, the comfort, the sense of home – will always remain. It’s a dish to savor, to share, and to remember.
So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and prepare to be transported back to a time of simpler pleasures and cherished memories. This Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe isn’t just a meal; it's an experience. A taste of home, made with love, and shared with those you cherish most. It's a recipe that will undoubtedly become a cherished part of your own culinary traditions, creating memories that will be passed down for generations to come. The warm, creamy comfort will become synonymous with family gatherings and happy occasions.
