I know that “Healthy” and “Cheesy” don’t usually go together, but trust me, these do. Plus, veggies, which I’ve been trying to eat in some capacity at every meal. This winter has been unbelievably cold and snowy, and we’ve made some stick-to-your-ribs meals that come together pretty easily, warm you up really well and leave enough for lunch the next day, too. Here’s one of them.
- 2 cups fully cooked, diced ham
- 2 lbs. potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced very thin (a mandoline helps a lot – just be careful!)
- 2 heads broccoli, washed and cut into florets
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 vidalia onion, diced
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 5 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups grated cheddar, or cheese of choice
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. white pepper
1. Heat the oven to 375.
2. In a French oven, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, stir, then cook until translucent, approx. 4-5 minutes.
3. Little by little, add the flour, mixing everything together. Gradually whisk in the milk.
4. Raise the heat a little bit and stir in the salt and pepper. Keep stirring until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon.
5. Stir in 1.5 cups cheese, incorporate until melted.
6. Add the potatoes, broccoli and ham, mix everything together well.
7. Gently spoon the mixture into a greased casserole dish.
8. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes, then remove foil covering, sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top, and bake another 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and potatoes/broccoli are tender.
9. Let cool, cut, serve and enjoy.