Last week, we had a gathering of a few friends for lunch. I decided on some comfort food because the spring weather turned out to just be a tease and the day was cool and breezy. Seeking solace in the familiar, I opted for a comforting classic: Scalloped Potatoes & Ham, a dish that held a special place in my heart from childhood.

My fondness for this dish traces back to my school days, where a culinary luminary named Fredia, was the school’s “hot lunch lady”. Her best dish was Scalloped Potatoes. I still recall the day when, for the third time, I found myself drawn to the hot lunch window for more scalloped potatoes, only to be playfully teased by Father Quillion, who, having joined us for lunch said, “You must really like scalloped potatoes and ham.” I nodded and went back to my seat, gobbled up my hotdish, and headed outside for recess. My mother’s method of preparing this cherished dish involved a simple yet effective technique: baking it in a cake pan, snugly covered with tinfoil. This made for easier cleanup but also ensured there was plenty to go around. Scalloped Potatoes and Ham was a dish that often followed an Easter Sunday dinner featuring a tasty ham.

At our recent gathering, with the main dish being a bit nostalgic, I served freshly baked crescent rolls, a spring greens salad dressed with zesty lemon vinaigrette, and a refreshing orange Jello made with orange juice. As my brother, Jeff would say, “for the pièce de résistance,” we enjoyed Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, paired with vanilla ice cream, bringing a sweet conclusion to our culinary journey down memory lane.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min.

Bake: 1 hour 20 min.

YIELD: 6 servings.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter

½  cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

5 cups 2% milk

8 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes

2 cups chopped fully cooked ham

1 small onion, grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, parsley flakes, salt, thyme, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk; bring to a boil. Cook and stir, for 2 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, ham, and onion; place half of the mixture in a greased 9 x13 baking dish. Top with half of the sauce; repeat layers.

3. Cover and bake until potatoes are almost tender, 60-70 minutes.

4. Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.

NOTES:

I started this recipe by making the roux. Some kind of shortening, flour, liquid, and you have a roux, a thickening. Stirring and watching the time is important.

I used Russet potatoes and tried adding thyme, something that I had not tried it before and it did add a nice flavor.

Please be sure to use milk instead of cream. Your cream may curdle on you and ruin the looks of your dish. Using 2% is just right and makes a nice thick sauce to pour over the potatoes.

I like grating my onion rather than chopping it for this dish. I used a small white onion, so the onion flavor was not overpowering.

In the past, I’ve sprinkled a ¾ cup of shredded cheese on top when uncovered and baked for the last few minutes, if you like a cheesey bonus to the dish.