Ham & Potatoes au Gratin Casserole

By CandyH

Deep South Dish! The addition of ham really kicks this dish up a notch, so much so - it could be served as a meal!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2-stick) of butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon 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 cooked ham, chopped
• 1 cup leftover or frozen vegetables, your choice, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°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°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.

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.