Round 2 Recipe Ham Skillet Casserole

HAM CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place potatoes, celery, and carrot in a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir ham, green bell pepper, and onion until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer ham mixture to baking dish and mix with potatoes.
• Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a clean skillet; cook and stir flour in melted butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. Gradually stir in milk and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add Cheddar cheese; stir until melted. Pour cheese mixture over ham and potatoes. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
• Bake in preheated oven until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow casserole to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

ROUND 2 RECIPE - HAM AND CHEESE CROQUETTES

Steps:

• In a large bowl add the baking mix, the milk and the egg and whisk to combine. Stir in the ham, cheese, onion, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• In a high sided skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and heat it to 365 degrees F.
• In a shallow baking dish or pie plate spread out the bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, scoop out rounds of dough and drop them into the bread crumbs. Roll the dough around to coat them completely. Drop the croquettes, 5 or 6 at a time, into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on brown paper or paper towels. Arrange them on a serving platter and serve warm.

GRANDMA'S CREAMY HAM CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Mix egg noodles, ham, evaporated milk, cream of chicken soup, onion, and processed cheese food in a 9x13-inch baking dish until evenly distributed.
• Bake in preheated oven until bubbly and cheese food is melted, about 1 hour. About 5 minutes before end of baking, sprinkle chips atop casserole and return to oven; bake for 5 minutes more.

CREAMY HAM & CHEESE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine soup, cream cheese, milk and seasonings; add ham. Drain noodles. Add to ham mixture and mix well., Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, 20-25 minutes.

HAM AND CHEESE SKILLET CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a paper towel and microwave on high, stirring the potatoes halfway through cooking, until the potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in the flour and green onions until just incorporated but still a bit lumpy, and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ham and potatoes; cover the skillet with foil and cook until the potatoes start to brown, about 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet, pour in the egg mixture, and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Transfer the skillet to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to loosen the casserole from the skillet, then slide it onto a cutting board, slice into wedges, and serve.
• If you decide to invest in a cast-iron skillet, here are Crystal's tips on how to properly season and store your pan. When properly seasoned, a cast-iron skillet works better than any nonstick pan around!
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• New pans will contain a coating of wax. Thoroughly wash the inside of your skillet with warm soapy water to remove the coating. Never put your cast-iron pan in the dishwasher or let it soak for any length of time.
• Important: Dry your skillet thoroughly with paper towels. It is imperative that it is completely dry. Do not let it air-dry.
• Dampen a paper towel with vegetable oil such as canola oil, or shortening such as Crisco, and wipe the inside of your skillet thoroughly, creating a nice sheen or glisten on the pan.
• Cover the bottom of your pan with coarse salt to a depth of about 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
• Place your skillet in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven. Place pan on a safe surface for cooling. Cool for 30 minutes or more until the pan is cool to the touch.
• Dump the salt from your skillet and wash the skillet with warm soapy water. Rinse and dry skillet thoroughly, as mentioned above.
• Before putting your pan away, be sure to give it another light coating of oil or shortening to protect it from rust and corrosion.