Two other dishes I think are excellent with baked ham are scalloped potatoes and macaroni and cheese. Since I use the same sauce for both I usually make both when I make them because it's just as easy to make both as to make one and then everyone can have their preference..

I would like to talk for a bit about baking pans. If you've been buying cheap baking pans and replacing them every year or two you're really causing yourself a lot of unnecessary aggravation and probably not saving any money.  My preference for baking pans is Wilton. I've found they are a very good investment. I have Wilton baking pans I've been using for almost 30 years that are still just as good as the day I bought them.

Another benefit of good baking pans is the ease of cleaning. No matter how burnt or stuck a Wilton pan is you can soak it in hot soapy water for a bit and it will come clean.

And probably the most important thing to consider is even baking and being able to get your cakes out without them sticking. I have some cheap baking pans that always tear up the cake no matter how carefully I grease and flour the pan. But my cakes always come out perfect with my Wilton pans. 

Cheese Sauce       Scalloped Potatoes       Macaroni and Cheese

First let's make the cheese sauce for the dishes. I use this same cheese sauce for scalloped cabbage and many other dishes. It's a basic white sauce with cheese so it's very easy.

You'll need:

• 2 stick butter (1 cup)

• 1 cup flour

• 2 cans evaporated milk, diluted with water to make 2 quarts total

• 1 lb velveeta cheese, cut into 1" cubes

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste

Start with the roux. Melt the butter in a 3 qt sauce pan then add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for about one minute while whisking continuously. Whisk the milk in until smooth. Then whisk in the cheese.  Cook on medium heat, whisking frequently until the sauce bubbles. When it bubbles it's done. The velveeta cheese should be completely melted but the cheddar will probably still have little pieces not completely melted and that's fine. Add salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste.  You can use a cheaper store brand cheese spread if you want but make sure it's one that is similar in texture and flavor to Velveeta. 

This is a good basic white sauce with cheese added. I like cheddar and velveeta for scalloped potatoes or macaroni and cheese but you can use almost any kind of cheese with this sauce so feel free to experiment depending on what you're using the sauce for and what your personal preference is. There are so many wonderful cheeses so it's very simple to be creative with this sauce.

For the scalloped potatoes you will need:

• a casserole dish or baking pan 

• about 3 pounds of red potatoes

• 1 qt cheese sauce

• 1/2 stick butter, cut in about 1/4 " slices 

• sliced american cheese (enough to cover the top)

• about 2 tbsps minced shallot (*optional...or you can substitute some sliced scallions/green onions or even a little sweet onion)

• baking spray for the dish/pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray the pan with baking spray for easier cleanup. A 9x13 baking pan will give you more room to put cheese slices on top to brown and let the potatoes get done more quickly than a deep casserole dish but you can use either one. 

Peel and slice the potatoes into about 1/4" slices and spread out evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the shallots/green onions over the top. This is optional but if you like that hint of onion flavor in scalloped potatoes it is quite good. 

Pour about 1 qt of the cheese sauce over the potatoes and dot the top with butter. If the potatoes aren't completely covered you can pour a little plain milk in to bring the sauce up to the top of the potatoes. The starch from the potatoes will thicken the sauce a little more so it doesn't hurt to add a little milk.

Bake until the potatoes start to get tender, usually about 45 minutes. Add the american cheese slices over the top and return to the oven to finish cooking the potatoes while the cheese melts and browns. I like a nice golden brown cheese crust across the top. 

You can also sprinkle with shredded parmesan, asiago or any other shredded cheese you like. When the cheese is brown check the potatoes to make sure they're tender and remove from the oven. Always check the potatoes in the center because that will be the last ones to get completely done.

This makes a lovely dish to take to a carry-in dinner too and is always well-received. I've never encountered anyone that didn't like scalloped potatoes. They're so basic, so easy to do and a great alternative to the same old mashed potatoes.

Now for the Macaroni and Cheese. I always cook the macaroni first, then drain and rinse to get rid of the starchy taste from the pasta. If you've ever had that nasty macaroni and cheese they make in most restaurants you'll know what it tastes like when you start with raw macaroni. It's not a pleasant taste so always cook the pasta first. It doesn't take long and makes a big difference in the flavor.

You'll need:

• a 9x13 baking pan or a casserole dish

• about 3 cups of macaroni (measure uncooked)

• the remaining quart of cheese sauce

• american cheese slices for the top

• 1/2 stick butter, cut into 1/4" slices

• baking spray for the pan

Cook the macaroni in heavily salted boiling water until almost done and drain. It will cook a little more in the oven so only cook it to the "al dente" stage. Have you ever wondered what al dente is? The terms means "to the tooth" so it basically just means it's still a little chewy.

Spray the casserole or baking pan to make cleanup easier and put the cooked, drained macaroni in. Pour the remaining cheese sauce over it and stir a bit to make sure all of the macaroni is coated. If the macaroni isn't quite covered with sauce you can add a little plain carton milk to bring the level up a bit. The macaroni will absorb some of the sauce making it thicker so feel free to add a little carton milk if you need to. Then dot with the butter slices.

Now this is where macaroni and cheese varies from the scalloped potatoes. Since the macaroni is already cooked it only needs to bake long enough to brown the cheese and let the sauce come back to a bubble in the pan. So there's no need to partially bake it before adding the cheese. So go ahead and cover the top with american cheese slices. 

Bake about 30 minutes or until the cheese is nice and brown across the top and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and serve. 

Again, this is one that is very easy to adapt to your taste or experiment with different cheeses that you like. The Crescent Rolls and/or Honey-Wheat bread we did in show no. 2 are also excellent with a ham dinner so feel free to refer back to the second show to get those recipes if you like. And I never make homemade bread or dinner rolls without the Whipped Honey-Butter. It's so good with it and only takes a few minutes to make. 

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