Taste-bud Journey: Baked Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

During the pandemic, I am taking taste-bud journeys as I self-isolate rather than physical journeys. Here is my recipe for Baked Ham. This was my mom's recipe. She would always serve it with Scalloped Potatoes. Yum!

 

My mother always made Scalloped Potatoes from scratch. That is the way I used to do it, as well. But with the pandemic and a lot of laziness on my part, I discovered a box mix that I personally really like: Idahoan Au Gratin Homestyle Casserole

• To make it even cheesier, I always toss in a couple of handfuls of Colby Jack Shredded Cheese.
• It only requires water, milk, and butter.
• Since I am not much of a milk-drinker, I keep powdered milk on hand that I mix into water in the required-recipe amounts.

 

Recipe

• Pre-sliced ham
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp prepared mustard

 

Please note: To make it simpler, I mix the glaze in a large microwave-safe measuring cup. Then, I heated the glaze for 2 and 1/2 minutes.

Please also note: This recipe has been doubled since I wanted to make certain that all the ham would get fully saturated with the glaze while cooking.

  

Procedure #1

• Step 1: Get butcher to make ¼-inch slices in a baked ham and tie it together with a string.


• Step 2: Bake ham for 45 minutes at 350° F.


• Step 3: Meanwhile, prepare glaze.


• Step 4: Mix brown sugar, lemon juice, water, soy sauce, and mustard in a saucepan or in the microwave. Heat to boiling.


• Step 5: Pour glaze over ham. Cook ham for another 45 minutes, basting with juices every 15 minutes.

Alternate Procedure #2: If the ham is from deli and pre-cooked and you are also preparing a veggie that requires baking such as Scalloped Potatoes try this instead:

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 450° F. In my case, I was also preparing a boxed Scalloped Potatoes mix since I grew up always having the two of them served together.


• Step 2: Mix together glaze recipe. Either heat it in a sauce pan on the stove until boiling or microwave it for 2 1/2 minutes until boiling.


• Step 3: In a 9x13 sheet pan, lay out one layer of ham slices. Baste with glaze mixture.


• Step 4: Continue layering ham. Baste the top of each layer.


• Step 5: Once all ham is in pan, pour the entire glaze mixture into pan.


• Step 6: Since I was also preparing a Scalloped Potatoes mix that cooked at 45 minutes at 450° F for 25 minutes, that is the temperature I also used for the ham. I cooked both side-by-side on the top rack of the oven.


• Step 7: According to the box instructions of the Scalloped Potatoes, I needed to let them to sit for a few minutes before serving. So, after 25 minutes, I turned off the oven but left the ham pan inside until about 5 to 10 minutes had passed. Then, I removed ham from the oven and plated servings of both.

Please note: Since I order groceries on-line and have them loaded into my car, I had no opportunity to discuss typing together a sliced ham with a string. Therefore, I had multiple pre-sliced ham pieces that I wished to have covered with glaze.

Please also note: So, as you might have observed with the above photo, I laid down one layer of ham at a time and basted each layer with glaze prior to topping it with another layer of ham. And so forth. Then, a poured the rest of my glaze on top of all of it since I personally best enjoy baked ham swimming in this glaze as it cooks.

  

Cooking Sites that have inspired me:

• Gemma's Bigger Bolding Baking website that includes over 100 great cooking videos.

• All Recipes Website that includes all kinds of sweet and savory recipes.

Books written by Debbie Dunn:

Here is the Amazon Link to all anti-bullying curriculum books plus all children’s books written by Debbie Dunn (both paperback and Kindle). It will open up in a new window.

• Author’s Page on Amazon.com