Despite the unseasonably warm weather and cheery sunshine, I went ahead and whipped up a classic, creamy, comfort-food casserole for dinner:Â Lighter Scalloped Potatoes with Ham!
This diet busting dish is normally packed with butter and cream. Well I lightened it up, but kept ALL the cozy flavor by cutting the butter and using 2% milk instead of heavy cream. IT WAS SO GOOD!!!!
Start by melting some butter in a large skillet. Butter? I thought this was thing was light?! No, I know, but this is actually a small amount compared to the overall size of the dish – and is half of what the original recipe calls for. Add in fragrant seasonings like thyme and parsley, and gluten-free or all-purpose flour then whisk the mixture together.
Cook the butter and flour for 2 minutes (mmmm, smells like stuffing!) then slowly whisk in 2% milk. I resisted the urge to swap in skim milk for the 2%, as I knew the sauce would be grainy if I did.
Bring the milk to a boil, whisking constantly, then lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine 6 cups sliced potatoes – that’s about 3 large potatoes – with 1/2 a grated onion and 1/3lb cubed ham steak. I just went to the deli counter at the grocery store, picked out a good quality low-sodium ham and asked the woman working to slice it thick for me.
Layer half the potato/ham mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 dish, then spoon over half the sauce.
Repeat!
Cover with foil and bake for an hour or so, then remove the foil to let the top get golden brown and give the ham a chance to really sizzle.
Ooooo baby! This dish is right up there with my Mom’s Classic Mac & Cheese in terms of ultimate comfort food. I could not believe how delicious it was, even though it was made without a lot of fat. The ham was just indulgently salty enough, the potatoes were blissfully soft, and that sauce. Luxurious. Silky. Amazing. I want to slather it all over everything!
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Lighter Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
Description
Lighter Scalloped Potatoes with Ham is just as decadent as the original butter and cream-laden recipe, but on the lighter side!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour
- 3 cups 2% milk
- 6 cups russet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes), sliced thin
- 1/3lb low-sodium ham steak, chopped
- 1/2 small onion, grated
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and flour, and whisk together. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until smooth. Turn heat up to high and bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Turn heat back down to medium and continue whisking for 2 minutes.
- Combine potatoes, ham and onion in a large bowl. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray and add in half the potato mixture. Top with half the sauce, then repeat the layers. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 65 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Taste of Home
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Morgan 12.21.2011
Christmas Shoes and we have this horrible local song called “Christmas in the Northwest.” If you’re from Seattle, you know what I’m talking about.
Iowa Girl Eats 12.21.2011
HAHAHA – we have “Christmas in Iowa” which is truly horrible. Pretty much on par with xmas shoes and the muppets!
Katrine 12.21.2011
Your potatoes look amazing! Last night I made the fish tacos you recently featured. Holy moly, they were a huge, delicious hit! Thanks for the idea and Merry Christmas!
Kristin from MN 12.21.2011
My husband and I just made that exact recipe on Monday night! LOL! And yes we agree it was very very good!
Katie C 12.21.2011
Yay! So excited to use that Panera card!
And Christmas Shoes. WORST. And I think the vast majority hate it, so why why WHY they still play it so much is beyond me. Good message I suppose, but I don’t want my Christmas songs to make me weepy. That is all.
jad18 12.21.2011
Christmas Shoes is the worst. I heard it in the car the other day and could not change the station due to driving in kinda bad weather and wanted to jump out of the car by the time it was over. I also really cannot stand Do You Hear What I Hear. I think it is the repetition of the statements in it that drives me nuts.
Alicia 12.20.2011
Christmas Shoes definantly and what’s that one with that lady that sounds like the brusha brusha brusha song from Grease? The voice is really creepy. It plays all the time for me at work and I can’t stand it.
jad18 12.21.2011
Is it “I Want a Hippopatamus for Christmas”? I actually think that song is funny.
dawn 12.20.2011
I have to say any Chipmunks song pretty much makes me EEEK!!
Love this recipe, a great way to use up left over ham!
Ashley 12.20.2011
I just told someone the other day that I was SO surprised Panera did not have an oatmeal yet. Well, here it is and I’m excited!!!
Margaret 12.20.2011
Oh, my. I cannot stand “Christmas Shoes”, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” or “Wonderful Christmas Time”. It doesn’t help that a certain local radio station plays those on repeat seemingly continuously from Thanksgiving on. I actually like Beaker’s mi-mi-mi-mi’ing though!
Cary 12.20.2011
Sooo excited for the Oatmeal at Panera!!! Thanks for the insider tip :)
Amanda 12.20.2011
Cinnamon crunch on oatmeal? If that is true… life just got a whole lot better!!!
Shannon 12.20.2011
Christmas shoes makes me change the station every time. The first time I heard it was touching, second time too. But the one thousandth time….PUKE.
Molly 12.20.2011
Its gotta be Christmas Shoes. Uuuggghhh. I feel like such a cynic every time that song comes on, but it makes me turn the radio station ASAP.
Amy 12.20.2011
I cannot stand any version of ‘ The Little Drummer Boy’. Iamb not sure what he ever did to annoy me, but he does!
Panera John 12.20.2011
What about “Wonderful Christmas Time” by Paul McCartney?!?!? I scream in anger and turn off the radio every time it comes on… and ‘that chick’ from Destiny’s Child REMADE it this year… FOR THE LOVE OF WELL… CHRIST-mas! :)
Also, I may or may not have almost cried once during Christmas shoes, so don’t you be knocking it… (it’s safe to say that I… eehemmm… all grown men love their mothers just a bit too much) :P
Emily 12.20.2011
Potatoes, ham and creamy sauce? I’m there.
Ashley @ coffee cake and cardio 12.20.2011
My fiancée would love this! I love the plate you served the potatoes on too!
Sarah W 12.20.2011
christmas shoes is by far the worse hands down. just the other day i was thinking to myself, hey i haven’t heard that one yet and so far so good.
Michelle (The Runner's Plate) 12.20.2011
I was going to say the same thing! Christmas Shoes was on all the time last year, but I have not heard it once this year and for that I am grateful!
Lauren 12.20.2011
My husband would die for this dish! Pin it!!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn 12.20.2011
Ogh. De poh-teh-toes.
Iowa Girl Eats 12.20.2011
I just read that as Sebastian from The Little Mermaid. HA!
Alicia 12.20.2011
HAHAHA! Yes! Sebastian!