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Creamy Ham and Potato Casserole

I have been trying out some recipes by substituting béchamel sauce (white sauce) for canned soup. This one turned out well. If you don’t have time to make white sauce, substitute a can of creamed soup instead.

Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add flour and stir until well combined. Add milk a little at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until sauce starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper. Then fold remaining ingredients into prepared sauce. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4-6.

I made these cookies to give to someone who likes to bake just a few cookies at a time. The rest stay in the freezer for the next baking session. If using without freezing, bake for about 10 minutes.

1 c. chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Line a sheet pan with parchment or a silicone baking sheet. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add brownie mix, vegetable oil, flour and vanilla. Stir to combine. Stir in chocolate chips or chunks. Scoop cookies onto prepared pan. Put pan in freezer until cookies are frozen. Remove cookies from pan and place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze until ready to use. Bake frozen cookies at 375°F for 15 minutes or until set. Leave cookies on baking sheet for 3 minutes, then remove to foil to cool.

Robin Richey, Eureka, was a home economic instructor in south central Illinois and retired as the children’s librarian at the Eureka Public Library.

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