GOUDA HAM AND POTATO CASSEROLE

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Peel and dice potatoes and place in a stock pot of cold water.
3. Simmer on high until the water starts to boil, then reduce heat to medium.
4. Boil potatoes until they are cooked thru, but still somewhat firm (al dente) The potatoes will continue to cook when in the oven after mixing all ingredients. If you cook them to doneness now, they will become a soft mushy mess after baking.
5. Once Potatoes are cooked to al dente, drain water and put back into the stockpot until later.
6. Dice ham into the same size you cut your potatoes. Once diced, place on top of potatoes in stockpot until ready for sauce.
7. In small sauce pan on medium heat, melt butter,
8. Once butter is melted, add minced onions and cook until translucent and soft. (About 5 minutes.) Resist turning up the heat to cook more quickly, you want the onions to remain unbrowned.
9. Once the onions are translucent, add the flour to the sauce pan and cook for 5-8 mins. Stir with a whisk constantly. This step is crucial to get the earthy taste of flour to come through and not be paste tasting when finished.
10. Once flour is cooked, slowly add milk to flour mixture, whisking rapidly. It is better to incorporate small amounts of the milk while whisking to avoid lumps. If you pour all the milk in at once your sauce may be lumpy.
11. Once all the milk is added continue to stir until sauce begins to thicken (8-10 minutes.)
12. When the sauce can coat the back of a spoon without running it is ready. (Imagine a slightly thicker pancake batter.)
13. Once sauce reaches the spoon test thickness, add in salt, pepper and 1 cup Gouda cheese and 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese. Once cheese is melted completely, remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
14. Pour Cheese mixture over potatoes and ham mixture and stir to distribute all evenly.
15. Place combined mixture in baking dish. (9X13 works well, but any will do.)
16. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the top.  I used yellow cheddar so it would contrast to the rest of the cheese but you can use either.
17. Bake, uncovered at 350º on the middle rack in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sides are bubbly.
18. Once done, let rest for 15 mins then sprinkle fresh parsley on top and serve.