Ham Casserole

 

I had picked up a small ham at the weekend. It was already cut into slices. I had in mind to use half of it in a casserole.  I had seen a delicious looking casserole on a page called The Cozy Cook that I was keen to try. 

It was a casserole for ham with broccoli and rice in a rich and creamy looking sauce.  It sounded lush and looked even lusher.  Normally I would have cut the recipe in half, but it looked like it would freeze very well so I decided this time to make the full recipe and then freeze half for another time.

That would give me enough to enjoy on the day, along with some to share with my next-door neighbor and then have a meal waiting in the freezer for another time.  

 

Recipes like this one are sound and economical.  They help to bulk out and stretch small amounts of more expensive ingredients, so that they feed more people.  In this day and age with the cost of food, anything we can do to cut down our cost is a good thing!

I did pay over $16 for the ham, but today I have gotten two small casseroles from just half of it and I have another half to use for something else. 

I wish you could smell how delicious it smells in my house right now!  I really hope you will be inspired to make this tasty casserole. I think it is something most people will love!  Ham, rice, broccoli, cheese, in a rich and creamy sour cream sauce. What more could you want?

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HAM CASSEROLE WITH BROCCOLI & RICE

Some leftover ham of course, and a few other simple ingredients.

For the casserole:

• 2 TBS butter
• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups (591ml) low salt vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 1/4 cups (264g) long grain rice, raw
• 2 cups (about 1 pound) diced cooked ham
• 2 cups (about142g) broccoli florets
• 1 tin (10.75oz/305g) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup (60g) sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups (300g) grated medium to sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

To top:

• 1 cup (60g) buttery round cracker crumbs
• 2 TBS butter melted

 

I used Uncle Bens Converted Long Grain rice, which worked perfectly in this recipe. I had picked up a small Schneider's Ham, already sliced at the weekend and used about half of it cubed for this recipe.

I had a bag of broccoli florets that I had purchased in the produce section of the store. It would be the equivalent of two small broccoli crowns.

If you don't want to use condensed soup, you could simply make a white sauce, about 1 1/2 cups worth, using half milk and half chicken stock.

In the U.K. Batchelor's makes a condensed soup. It is a soup that you need to dilute it with water or milk to serve.  It is not ready to serve right out of the can.  You use it undiluted for this recipe.

I used a sharp cheddar for this.  It gave a nice cheesy flavor to the casserole. Cheese, broccoli, ham . . . a trinity of good taste!

 

HOW TO MAKE HAM CASSEROLE WITH BROCCOLI & RICE

This is basically done in two parts. You cook the rice first, along with the broccoli and then you just stir everything together, pour into a baking dish and bake.

You will need a largish saucepan. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the dry rice.

Pour the stock and olive oil into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the saucepan tightly and leave to cook for 8 minutes.

 

Scatter the broccoli florets over top. Replace the cover and cook for a further 7 minutes, without stirring.

If all of the liquid has not been absorbed by that time, recover and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Keep covered and leave to sit for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13-inch shallow baking dish.

Add the ham, tinned soup, sour cream, milk and half of the cheese to the rice and broccoli mixture, mixing everything together well. Spread this mixture into your prepared baking dish.

 

Scatter the remaining cheese over top and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Mix the cracker crumbs together with the melted butter. Uncover the casserole dish. Scatter the buttered crumbs over top. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered for a further 10 to 15 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Serve hot.  A salad goes very nicely on the side.

This was really delicious.  It was quite simple to throw together as well. Great for when you have some ham you want to use up.  I just happened to have a bag of broccoli florets that needed using as well, so it worked out very well.

It was rich and cheesy. The broccoli was crispy tender, which is unusual for a casserole. If you would prefer your broccoli more cooked, then I would cook it separately and then stir it into the casserole with everything else.

The buttery cracker crumbs added just the right finishing touch!  A nice mixed salad would work very well on the side, and or some crusty bread for the heartier eaters.

You could also bake this in two smaller casseroles and freeze one.  Put half of it into a smaller casserole, scatter the cheese on top, wrap tightly and freeze.  When you are ready to cook it, take it out and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  Bring to room temperature and then bake as per the recipe. I would not add the crumbs prior to freezing.

  

I love using up my leftovers. Ham, Beef, Chicken, etc.  Here are a few other really delicious ways of using up leftover cooked ham!

DEVILED HAM SPREAD - This is one of my favorite sandwich fillings. I have been known to buy a piece of ham just to make this tasty spread. This is rich, tangy, a touch sweet with a bit of heat. In short, delicious. Ready to spread on crackers or crisp breads or to fill a sandwich. This is perfect.  I love this and could eat it with a spoon. 

SLOW COOKER HAM & POTATO CHOWDER - This is one of those delicious meals that you can throw in the slow cooker in the morning and then get on with your day. Perfect for those days when you know you are not going to have a lot of time to throw a meal together.  This is a hearty, yet creamy soup with beautiful flavors and textures.

Yield: 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Ham Casserole with Broccoli & Rice

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

Rich, creamy and delicious. This is an excellent way to use up leftover cooked ham.

Ingredients

For the casserole:

• 2 TBS butter
• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups (591ml) low salt vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 1/4 cups (264g) long grain rice, raw
• 2 cups (about 1 pound) diced cooked ham
• 2 cups (about142g) broccoli florets
• 1 tin (10.75oz/305g) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup (60g) sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups (300g) grated medium to sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste

To top:

• 1 cup (60g) buttery round cracker crumbs
• 2 TBS butter melted

Instructions

1. You will need a largish saucepan. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the dry rice.
2. Pour the stock and olive oil into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the saucepan tightly and leave to cook for 8 minutes.
3. Scatter the broccoli florets over top. Replace the cover and cook for a further 7 minutes, without stirring.
4. If all of the liquid has not been absorbed by that time, recover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat. Keep covered and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13-inch shallow baking dish.
7. Add the ham, tinned soup, sour cream, milk and half of the cheese to the rice and broccoli mixture, mixing everything together well. Spread this mixture into your prepared baking dish.
8. Scatter the remaining cheese over top and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Mix the cracker crumbs together with the melted butter. Uncover the casserole dish. Scatter the buttered crumbs over top. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered for a further 10 to 15 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Did you make this recipe?

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