Ham and Cheese Sauce on Baked Potato

My first effort to modify a "regular sized" recipe was to size down the white sauce recipe I use to make Cheese Sauce. I halved the recipe. For one person who doesn't want lots of cheese sauce on a baked potato, even this new recipe could be halved. My potato was well covered with sauce OR you could cook 2 potatoes and invite a friend to lunch.

Ingredients needed will be one small baking potato, 1 slice "individual sized" ham steak, butter, cornstarch, milk, cheddar cheese, chives and other toppers as desired.

You will need a microwave-safe plate for cooking the potato, and a small saucepan for making the sauce. If you do not have pre-shredded cheese, you will also need a cheese grater. Knives, measuring spoons, a small wire whisk, and a 1 cup measure are also needed.

As an aside, I will note that I use "box milk:" UHT milk that may be stored on the cupboard shelf until opened. Since I only use milk for cooking and rarely on cereal, I have found "box milk" serves my needs better than buying a quart at the grocery store and finding half of it has gone bad before I used it all. Yes, I still have to find ways to finish the quart after I open the box, but I usually manage to do that. [Sigh] Some things were easier when there were more people in the house.

Cheese Sauce
1 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Melt the butter over low heat, stirring in cornstarch to make a roux. As soon as cornstarch has been absorbed, immediately stir milk in slowly. This will thicken quickly. Add cheese. Continue stirring until cheese has melted. Remove from heat.

NOTE: if you are wanting to make a white sauce for a quick gravy or as thickening for soup, follow the above directions and leave out the cheese.


Ham and Cheese Sauce:  stir in 1/2 cup diced ham as soon as cheese sauce is complete. Season to taste.





Baked Potato

Wash selected potato and pat dry.
Pierce several times with a fork to give vents for steam to release during cooking. If you do not pierce the potato, it might explode.
Place on microwave safe plate and set for "Potato."  Cook until done.

When the potato is done, slice it open. Top with a bit of butter, if desired, and then spoon Ham and Cheese Sauce over the potato. Garnish with fresh, chopped chives and other toppers that you like.
Serve with a salad. My dessert was 1/3 of a Brownie a la Anytime.