Incredible Scalloped Potatoes

I'm not a big Scalloped Potatoes fan, or at least I wasn't.   But lately, I've craved some old-timey dishes that my mom and grandma used to make.   Scalloped Potatoes is one of those kind of dishes.

A few years before my mom passed away, while she was more or less confined to her chair, she asked me what I wanted for Christmas.  Since we were all going to try to make as many gifts for each other instead of buying them, I asked if she'd write her favorite recipes down for me.   It was and is a wonderful gift that I use all of the time, this box of my mom's treasured recipes, but unfortunately it doesn't contain a recipe for Scalloped Potatoes.   So....I went searching.

And as often is the case, I'll find several recipes that aren't quite what I have in mind.  I'll take the parts that I like from each and create my own hybrid recipe.   Usually, it turns out.  Sometimes it doesn't.  And sometimes, it's an enormous hit, as in the case of the recipe I post below.   Seriously, this is like pizza, it's so good.   There aren't any pictures, because the dish didn't last long enough to take any!  And it's the perfect dish to use up leftover ham with.

The key to this one is slicing the potatoes and onions thin.   The thicker they are, the more chance that they won't be 'done' in the allotted bake time.

You'll need:

9 x 9 Pyrex dish

4 T Butter
2 T Flour
1.5 C Milk
2 medium Onions sliced thin
4 reasonably sized Potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
12 oz. Ham, sliced, then diced
Grated Cheddar (or experiment! I bet Swiss would be incredible)

Preheat oven to 350.   Grease the 9 x 9 Pyrex dish.

Slice onions and potatoes, slice and dice ham, grate cheese (if you haven't already).

In a saucepan, melt 2 T of Butter, whisk in 2 T of Flour til a roux is formed.   Remove from heat, add milk, whisk in til the roux is completely mixed in with the milk.  Return to medium heat and stir often til it thickens.   Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and set aside.

In a fry pan, add 2 T Butter and the Sliced Onions.  Cover on medium heat, stir occasionally, cook til soft and golden, starting to carmelize.   Remove from heat.

In the Pyrex 9 x 9, assemble two layers thusly.   First, half the white sauce, then half of the potato slices, then on top of that, ham, onions, grated cheese.  Repeat for the second layer.

Bake 350 for about 50 minutes.