Ham ’n’ Tater Bake — The Kind of Supper That Holds a Week Together

Valentine's Day Wednesday. Dave made me pork chops. I gave him a new tool apron for the garage. Gayle ate with us. She had a small piece of heart-shaped sugar cookie Josie had baked at school.

Drove Monday-Tuesday, Omaha run.

Book two revision at 45%.

Amber came home the weekend before Valentine's to see Gayle. She sat with her for three hours. Gayle had a good long afternoon.

Justin was accepted for early admission to UNK Friday. He shrugged. He already knew it would happen. Dave said, "Justin. This is good." Justin said, "Yeah." That was his entire response.

Sunday: chicken and rice.

Dave’s pork chops on Valentine’s Day were exactly that — quiet and steady, no fanfare, just dinner at the table with the people who matter. That’s the kind of week it was: good news arriving without much ceremony, Amber sitting with Gayle for three hours, Justin shrugging at early admission like it was already settled. I wanted a recipe that matched that same unhurried feeling, something you layer together and let the oven handle — and this Ham ’n’ Tater Bake is exactly that. It’s the dish for weeks when a lot happens quietly.

Ham ’n’ Tater Bake

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 package (28 oz) frozen O’Brien potatoes, thawed
• 2 cups diced fully cooked ham
• 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, combine the thawed O’Brien potatoes, diced ham, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
3. Add the cheese. Fold in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar and stir to combine.
4. Transfer to dish. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula.
5. Top and bake. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the top. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Uncover and finish. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 920mg