Cheddar and Ham Au Gratin Potatoes

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• for the sauce:
• 32 oz. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 1lb. fully cooked ham steak, cubed
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 10 3/4 oz. can cheddar cheese soup
• 2/3 cup *Cheez Whiz or similar
• 1 1.6 oz. pkg. garlic-herb sauce mix [I used Knorr]
• 8 oz. light sour cream
• 1/2 cup light margarine, melted
• 2 tsp. dijon mustard
• black pepper to taste
• for the topping:
• 1 cup of cheddar-garlic crumbs [I used cheddar-garlic Texas Toast croutons]
• 2 Tbs. melted light margarine

Details

Adapted from melissassouthernstylekitchen.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until fully combined. Milk, cheddar cheese soup, cheez whiz, dry sauce mix, sour cream, melted margarine, dijon mustard and black pepper to taste.

Add the thawed hashbrowns, cubed ham and half of the shredded cheese. Mix well.

Pour into the prepared dish, and top with the remaining cheese. Crush the croutons and toss with two tablespoons of melted margarine, then sprinkle on top. Place into the oven.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until bubbly, golden and the potatoes are fork tender. Rest for 10 minutes on the counter to allow the sauce to thicken before serving. Yield: 8-10 servings