HEARTY HAM CASSEROLE

Try not to drool at these crispy bits....

Oh, and the reason the picture isn't nicer is because I forgot to take the picture for you BEFORE we ate dinner! I am a bad, bad, blogger.

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Okay, it seems fall has truly set in, they cut the corn, so our house seems naked and exposed, the days are cold and gray (does anybody but me think it seems like January weather already???) the grass is almost dead and everything outside looks like crap because there's not a foot of snow yet to cover up all the ugly and comfort foods are callin' my name.

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So to remedy this recent malady, today I got out my trusty Vidalia food chopper (a gift I bought myself, I really love it, thanks!) and my favorite LeCrueset barn red oval casserole dish (Love that more! So thanks, Mary!) and I got to work on this ham casserole. Good food fixes everything, right? Yes and the best thing is that it makes my house smell GOOD.

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We had ham Sunday so I needed to use up the leftovers. Mark and Lem are particularly fond of this dish, Luke will not eat it. Ever. But. Never fear, you can make this dish even if your little sister has never bought you a LeCrueset casserole dish in barn red. Any dish will do. But nothing cleans up quite like my dish. Just sayin'!

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So did you want the recipe so that you, too can scrape the crusty goodness off the edge of the dish to nosh on while you dish the leftovers up to a Gladware container for your husband to take to work with him for lunch tomorrow? Okey dokey. Go forth and make sinfully delicious and cheesy casseroles! And don't worry about the resulting love handles. After all, we are goin' for the HEARTY look. Not the waifish look.

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HEARTY HAM CASSEROLE

First...swear off your diet for this meal. It's over until tomorrow.

2. c. cooked cubed potatoes (this is where the chopper comes in so handy, did you see my perfect little diced potatoes in the picture?!)

2 c. cooked cubed ham

1 fifteen ounce can of whole kernel golden corn, drained

1/4 c. fresh parsley (optional)

1/4 c. butter (optional, I never put this in)

1 T. chopped onion or green onion or leeks (or none!)

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SAUCE

1/3 c. all purpose flour

1-3/4 c. milk

1/8 t. black pepper (coarsely ground is best)

4 oz. shredded cheese, preferably yellow

A little cubed Velveeta (if you have it, if not then stomp your feet and growl because you truly need the creaminess...it's really good for the heart.)

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Boil your potatoes until they are ALMOST done, you want them al dente', so to speak. Drain off the water and mix with your other ingredients. Then mix your flour with almost boiling milk, whisk until thickened, add to the potato mixture, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done, then remove the foil and bake 15-20 minutes or more until you have the top browned to your liking.

TASTES EVEN BETTER THE SECOND DAY.

And...don't blame me when you develop love handles.

OFFICIAL FARMHOUSE FOOD!