Garlic 3-Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

I think my favorite thing about Easter is the scalloped potatoes. That's all the introduction this needs.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
• 1 pint of heavy cream
• If you're counting calories, as I am and forever will be, you can substitute a mixture of 1 cup low fat (or non-fat) sour cream and 1 cup low fat (or skim) milk
• 2 cloves of thinly sliced garlic
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 4 slices of provolone cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees 
• Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with some sort of non-stick spray
• Throw half the sliced potatoes in the dish
• Evenly place small pieces of 1 tablespoon of butter on top of the potatoes
• Toss the garlic on top of the butter
• Pour half of your heavy cream (or sour cream and milk mixture) over the top
• Sprinkle with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese
• Repeat steps (potatoes, butter, garlic, heavy cream, cheddar cheese)
• Cover with provolone slices
• Season with salt and pepper
• Throw it in the oven for about 1/2 hour then take it out and cover with Parmesan cheese 
• Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and can be easily pierced with a fork

Dontcha just love scalloped potatoes? There is nothing better in this world than cheese, garlic and potatoes, all melted together.

Well, other than Jesus. Happy Easter, folks.


Love and making things just a little bit better,

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2 Ham Recipes

Let's get real here. You've gotta have ham on Easter. You've gotta have ham on Easter. Repeat it until you believe it.

Now there are two types of people out there: those of you with a lot of time, and those of you with none. I am part of the latter group. Instead of staying home to slave in the kitchen, I'll be wiping snot and changing poopy diapers in the nursery all morning. So I've compiled two separate recipes, one for each group.

Recipe #1: The more difficult one...which is still really easy

Ingredients:

• 6-10 lb ham
• 6 ounces of honey
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. dried mustard
• 1 can Dr. Pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and rinse down the ham
• With a sharp knife, make diagonal cuts in a diamond pattern about 1/2 in. deep in the surface of the ham.
• If this confuses you, Google it. There are countless videos on how to do this.
• Using a basting brush, cover the entire ham with honey
• Combine brown sugar, dried mustard and just enough Dr. Pepper to make it a paste
• Using your hands, cover the ham with the brown sugar mixture, packing it against the ham so that it sticks and will turn into a crust
• Line your roasting pan with aluminum foil to make your life 500x easier
• Do not put any water in the roaster!!!
• Place the ham inside your roasting pan, cut side down, and cover lightly with aluminum foil
• If your ham is not pre-cooked (which most are), cook for about 20-30 minutes per pound. If it is pre-cooked, follow the cooking instructions on the package. It will tell you how long to cook that specific ham
• Halfway through the baking time, rotate the ham so it is evenly cooked
• Don't use anything sharp that will poke the ham and let any of the juice out.
• Using a meat thermometer, make sure the temperature of the ham is 160 degrees F
• The USDA says anything below that can make you sick.
• After the ham is done roasting, take it out of the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes
• Using a sharp knife, pull anyway any large pieces of fat
• Use a carving knife to cut thin slices of the ham and serve immediately

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Recipe #2: Crock Pot Version

Ingredients:

• Same as Recipe #1

Directions:

• Follow steps 2-5 in Recipe #1
• Instead of putting the ham in a roaster, throw it in a large crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours
• It is still important to check the temperature of the meat before serving it!

The most beautiful thing about ham is that you are more than likely making meals for a few days. I plan on spending about $2 for groceries the following week, as Tim will be eating our Easter feast every day, all week.

How beautiful is that?



Love and options,

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