Take Your Potato + Ham Casserole to the Next Level

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I had you at smoked gouda and cheddar, didn't I? We have added layer after layer of flavor in our Smoked Gouda + Cheddar Potato Ham Casserole. (Oh and we used a honey glazed ham, because ham is awesome.)

Little known fact about me:  I love Easter. I truly do. Other than Christmas, Easter is the holiday that brings me back to my childhood more than any other day. Granted, there are the memories of chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs, pastel dresses and baskets full of goodies. Imagine Young Me, squirming in a dress, sitting in a church pew, trying to contain my excitement through the sermon until it was time to hunt for eggs. To this very day, I still love decorating easter eggs.

But more than anything Easter reminds me of time spent with family. Everyone gathered around a table of wonderful home-cooked dishes. Ham. Deviled eggs. Green Beans. And, one of my favorites, potato ham casserole.

Smoked Gouda + Cheddar Potato Ham Casserole

Don't you just love potatoes and ham? There are so many ways to create wonderful homemade recipes using these two staple Easter ingredients.

I've put a little twist on a traditional potato ham casserole this year, ya'll. The twist happened when I walked by the Specialty Cheese Counter of The Fresh Market. Cheese-lovers' heaven.

I left the store with four types of cheese, not really sure which ones I would use. When I got home and did some taste testing, I settled on using Smoked Gouda and a sharp New York Cheddar. (It was a hard decision, so I consoled myself with the New Zealand Cheddar as a snack.

Ingredients Needed:

• Russet potatoes large
• Honey ham
• Onion
• Butter
• All purpose flour
• Spicy brown mustard
• Milk
• Salt + pepper
• Smoked Gouda cheese
• New York cheddar cheese

For this Smoked Gouda + Cheddar Potato Ham Casserole, you want to cut your potatoes in a small dice. To make sure the potatoes cook evenly, I recommend no larger than ½ inch cubes. You can also slice them thinly like an au gratin recipe.

How to Make Smoked Gouda + Cheddar Potato + Ham Casserole:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray generously with non stick spray or coat with butter. 
2. Prepare the potatoes, ham, onions and set aside. 
3. In a large sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and brown mustard. Stir and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
4. Gradually stir in the milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in the salt and pepper. Heat to a low boil, and remove from heat.
5. Slowly add in ¾ cup of the smoked gouda and ¾ cup of the New York cheddar. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
6. In the prepared baking dish, arrange half of the potatoes, ham and onion. Cover with half of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layers of potatoes, ham, onion and cheese sauce.
7. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 1 - ½ hours until the potatoes are tender and cooked through. 
8. Remove foil and broil for 3 - 4 minutes until the top of the cheese is browned and bubbly.

Golden and sweet honey glaze on a savory ham is one of my ultimate all-time favorite main courses. Especially when it comes to Easter gatherings. My problem is, I want to put this wonderful ham in everything. Like our Smoked Gouda + Cheddar Potato Ham Casserole.

Look. At. This. Ham! The Fresh Market has Easter Hams ready for you this holiday. So good, tender and perfectly glazed. This gluten free ham is double glazed with honey and brown sugar and then smoked over hickory hardwood.

My favorite holiday course of all time.

More recipes you are going to LOVE:

Blue Bird Easter Egg Chicks

Green Bean Bacon Casserole (Better Than Mom's)

How to Decorate Easter Eggs with Shaving Cream

My Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe

Once you have created your cheesy sauce (get the complete recipe at the end of this post), it is time to assemble the layers of potatoes, onion, and ham.

Easter will always be about family gatherings for me. But we can't forget about all of the goodies of the season, especially for the kids. We picked up these adorable and delicious dark chocolate Lindt Easter Bunnies from The Fresh Market.

And yes, I totally bought an extra one for myself.

The Fresh Market is also THE place to get the freshest and most beautiful flowers for the season, including potted tulips, daffodils, and Easter lilies. And don't forget the Jelly Belly Easter assortment of gourmet jelly beans. (Again, I grabbed a bag of those for myself.)

You have time to prepare your Easter baskets and flowers while the Smoked Gouda + Cheddar Potato Ham Casserole is baking in the oven. Doesn't it look perfect for your holiday table?

This Easter, fill your basket with all of the delightful treats from The Fresh Market. From fresh produce, premium meat and seafood, specialty candy and gorgeous fresh flowers, they have everything you need to celebrate Easter the easy way.

All the foods you love are waiting for you at The Fresh Market.

The honey ham with the cheesy potatoes is seriously so good.

What is your favorite Easter side dish? We would love to hear from you, so feel free to comment below. (And be sure to rate this recipe while you are there.)

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