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#CookClub bonus: Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

 
Scalloped Ham and Potatoes is a good offering for a spring or Easter brunch.
Scalloped Ham and Potatoes is a good offering for a spring or Easter brunch.
Published March 30, 2015

Sometimes simple recipes are the best. And this Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe fits that description.

It's not what anyone would call "gourmet," but when the family gathers for Easter brunch it'll probably be the first offering gobbled up. Potatoes, ham and cheese? What's not to like about this #CookClub bonus recipe?

I was inspired to noodle a bit with the original recipe in Sherry Gore's Simply Delicious Amish Cooking (Zondervan, 2013) to make it a bit more solid by reducing some of the liquid. On a plate with a lot of tastes, which is typical of a brunch, I don't want my foods running into each other.

Gore, who lives in Sarasota's Amish community of Pinecraft, gathered lots of recipes from Amish cooks nationwide for the book. In keeping with the simple living beliefs of the Amish and Mennonites, the recipes have deep roots in yesteryear. That's to say, not a lot of trendy kale.

(Gore will be a speaker at the second annual USFSP Florida Food Conference on April 18. She will share her personal story and give tips on how to collect recipes for a family cookbook. For details visit usfsp.edu/flafood.)

The ham in this dish and the reduced-sodium mushroom soup add plenty of salt so you won't need more. Typically, all those shredded potatoes would need more seasoning, but not for this recipe. You could even experiment by adding more vegetables. Chopped broccoli or 1-inch lengths of asparagus would be tasty.

Another bonus about the #CookClub bonus: It's easy enough for the kids to make.

Find the recipe at tampabay.com/cookclub.

Janet K. Keeler, Times staff writer