Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

In my world, Sunday nights are for "Family Dinner."  Typically it is just me and my three leading men, sometimes there are other family members too.  What that means though is on Sundays, we do a "big" dinner so that we have LEFTOVERS for a day (or two...or three!) afterwards.  Gets me out of cooking at least one night a week ;-)

This week we tackled a huge ham and scalloped potatoes.  The ham we jazzed up with a new glaze recipe that we found, and the scalloped potatoes are a recipe that I clipped in 1997 and am finally giving a try.  Yes, you read that right, 1997.  No, I am not a hoarder...I previously said that I love to clip recipes!

Ham & Glaze

Ham (one of the nicer ones)
1 can Sprite, 7UP or ginger ale

1/3 cup corn syrup (I used light)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup dark rum
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Place ham in a roasting pan and pour Sprite evenly over it.  Cover (with lid or tin foil) and bake for 1 hour. Combine the corn syrup, maple syrup, brown sugar, rum, pepper and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl.  Mix well. After the 1 hour of baking, evenly spoon the glaze over the ham.  Return the ham back to the oven (covered) and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the glaze is brown and bubbly.  Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for about 15 minutes before slicing to serve.

Light & Lovely Scalloped Potatoes (From Homemakers, 1997)

Peeled, thinly sliced potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
1 cup chopped onion (or more or less to taste)
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch allspice
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
Paprika

In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook sliced potatoes for 5 minutes ot until slightly tender; drain. 
Meanwhile in large skillet over medium high heat, cook onion in chicken stock for about 4 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.  In bowl, whisk together milk and flour; stir into onions.  Bring to boil, stirring as it thickens; boil gently for 1 minute.  Add allspice and salt and pepper to taste.  Combine sauce and potatoes, mixing gently but thoroughly.  Pour into 8 cup/2 litre casserole.  Cover with lid or foil and bake in 350 F oven or 30 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.  Uncover and sprinkle cheese over top, sprinkle lightly with paprika.  Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and top is lightly browned.

VERDICT:
Our four year old could NOT stop eating the ham.  He LOVED it.  Hubby and I both enjoyed the ham and the potatoes.  You could certainly taste the different ingredients in the glaze, which I particularly liked.  There was the sweet, the pepper and the rum flavours - all there and all balanced.