Jazzed-Up Ham, Noodle, and Swiss Cheese Casserole
This came about because I found the usual casserole too boring.
This came about because I found the usual casserole too boring.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (0g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare egg noodles, as directed on package, in a large dutch oven. Drain when done.
- While the noodles are boiling, melt margarine in a skillet, over medium high heat. Stir in flour until thickened.
- Slowly add half-n-half and chicken broth. Stir to prevent lumps.
- Add Swiss cheese, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly.
- When the sauce thickens, turn heat to low.
- To the dutch oven containing the cooked noodles, add the ham, bacon, cooked sauce, and ranch dressing mix.
- Mix well and pour into a large rectangular baking dish.
- Cover with french fried onions.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Golden french-fried onions shatter over a rich, bubbling matrix of sharp Swiss cheese, salty cured ham, and tender egg noodles baked at 325 degrees. Building a pan sauce requires careful starch management. Whisking all-purpose flour directly into melted margarine creates a blonde roux that coats the pan. Cooking this paste for one minute eliminates raw flour taste before cold half-and-half and chicken broth go into the skillet. Adding liquids gradually prevents lump formation by allowing the starch granules to hydrate evenly. Dry mustard contributes pungent allyl isothiocyanates, cutting through the heavy dairy fat of the cream and cheese base.
Mastering the Sauce and Bake
Dairy curdling happens easily when high heat meets aged cheese. Lower the burner output to low immediately after melting the Swiss cheese into the thickened liquid. Ranch dressing mix introduces dehydrated herbs, buttermilk solids, and MSG, functioning as a complete seasoning packet that boosts overall savouriness. Baking the assembly uncovered for 20 minutes sets the interior structure while letting excess moisture escape.
- Prevent sauce separation by keeping the stove temperature at medium-high during the initial roux phase, then dropping to low before adding dairy.
- Substitute whole milk for half-and-half at a 1:1 ratio if a lighter sauce consistency is desired.
- Drain egg noodles one minute shy of package directions to prevent mushy textures after the final twenty-minute bake.
