Scalloped Potatoes with Ham - A Recipe in Review

I don't remember eating scalloped potatoes often growing up.  I remember the occasional boxed mix but was never fond of the outcome.

After my husband and oldest son went gluten free in 2001, I started trying recipes from the two cookbooks that I had that were gluten free specific recipes.

Even though I have 'tweaked' a lot of my gluten-containing recipes to be gluten free, this is one of the recipes I haven't gone looking for a non-gluten version to tweak.  Why mess with perfection?

This recipe is simple and adaptable for allergens in addition to gluten.  When I first started making it, I used rice milk because hubby and son were off of all dairy.  The rice milk didn't change the taste at all.  No one could tell what type of milk I used.

Nowadays, I do use cow's milk.  It doesn't matter if it's from the jug or is instant dry milk mixed up.  It just doesn't matter. 

You don't have to eat gluten free to make it or eat it.  The *only* item that you might not have on hand if you don't cook/bake gluten free is the potato starch or sweet rice flour.  If you're making this and you're out of potato starch or sweet rice flour - you can use tapioca starch (similar to cornstarch in consistency - not the pearls used for making tapioca pudding) or cornstarch with no worries.

Here is the recipe for those that would like to try it:

Taken from:
Wheat-Free Recipes and Menus:  Delicious Dining without Wheat or Gluten
By Carol Fenster, Ph.D.

Preheat oven to 350.

Toss the following in a 1 ½ - quart casserole or baking dish:
• 4 medium russet potatoes (peeled, sliced)
• ¾ tsp gluten-free onion salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 Tbsp gluten-free onion flakes



Combine the following in a jar with a screw top lid:
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp dried mustard
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 2 Tbsp potato starch or sweet rice flour
• 2 cups skim or 1% milk (or rice or soy milk)
• 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (cow, rice, or soy – optional)
Shake thoroughly until ingredients are blended. Or, blend in blender until smooth.
Pour milk mixture over potatoes.
Dot with butter cubes (1 Tbsp butter or margarine, in ¼-inch cubes).
Lightly sprinkle with paprika.
Bake for 1 hour or until sauce is bubbly and potatoes are lightly browned.

SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH HAM:
Add 1 cup cubed ham and reduce onion salt to ½ tsp.
Serves 4.

***Adrienne's notes***
*For our family (currently four eating, as the baby's not old enough for this recipe just yet), I double the recipe.  I use my crock pot container (either the 5 or 6 quart or a 7 works, too, depending upon if doubled).
*I add the white pepper to the milk mixture.
*I don't add any salt when making it because I add ham and that way I don't have to worry about how salty the ham is in addition to how much salt I added to the recipe.

Enjoy!

This is what's for dinner for us tonight.