A delicious potato casserole, using both leftover vegetables and ham, baked in a creamy cheese sauce.

Ham and Potatoes au Gratin Casserole

If you have leftover ham and vegetables to use, this is a great potato casserole dish to repurpose those into a whole new and delicious meal. All you need to add is a nice side salad, some rolls and iced tea, and you've got a great meal out of those leftovers.

If you don't have leftover ham, pick up a ham steak from the meat department or just ask your local market deli to slice you a chunk 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. They'll be happy to do that for you! Ham can vary in its salt level, so keep that in mind when seasoning the potatoes. If you have a fairly salty ham, you may not want any added salt. Remember... always taste, season, taste, adjust!

Here's how to make it.

Recipe: Ham and Potatoes au Gratin Casserole

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 1 hour 30 min |

Yield: About 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter
• 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups of milk, divided
• 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of celery seed
• Seasoning salt, freshly cracked black pepper and Cajun seasoning, to taste
• 4 medium sized baking potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin
• 2 cups of chopped cooked ham
• 1 cup of leftover or frozen vegetables, your choice, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray a 1-1/2 to 2 quart oblong baker; set aside. Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time and cook for about 3 minutes, whisking until mixture is smooth and fully incorporated. Add onion; cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the milk, a little at a time, until mixture thickens, then stir in the remaining milk. Whisk in 1 cup of cheese until blended, remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream, garlic powder and celery seed; set aside.

Add half of the potatoes to the bottom of the casserole dish, season lightly with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Top with half of the ham and vegetables. Spread half of the sauce over the top and repeat layers, seasoning the potatoes again and ending with all of the remaining sauce. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees F for about 1-1/2 hours. Length of time will depend on thickness of potato slices; test tenderness of the center potatoes with a fork. Uncover, sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup or more of cheese on top and return to the oven just until cheese has melted.

Cook's Notes: Double ingredients and make four layers in a larger baking dish for a pot luck. Increase cheese topping as desired. Can also substitute chopped smoked sausage for the ham and 1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup for the sauce. If using the canned soup, eliminate the first 5 ingredients and add 1/2 can of milk to the mixture of soup and sour cream. Can also be made in the crockpot - layer, cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.

Tip: I use a mandolin to get thin, even potato slices. If you like your potatoes sliced thicker, or you don't have a mandolin, cut the potatoes about 1/4 inch thick, place them into a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat, remove pot from the burner, and let them sit in the water for 5 minutes. Drain well, pat dry and proceed.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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©Deep South Dish

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