Ham and Rice Casserole

A creamy casserole made with rice, ham and peas and topped with a crunchy panko topping.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 45 minutes

REST TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

YIELD: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups cooked Rice

3 cups Ham, cubed

1 1/2 cups Frozen Peas

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Flour

1 cup Chicken Broth

1 1/2 cups Milk

1 tablespoon Sherry (optional)

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/4 teaspoon Ground Pepper

1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

TOPPING:

3/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

CASSEROLE:

1. Place butter and flour together in a pan over medium heat. Stir for 1-2 minutes.

2. Whisk in chicken broth and milk. Continue whisking until mixture begins to thicken.

3. Add sherry, dijon, pepper, nutmeg and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Whisk until fully combined.

4. Turn off heat and add chopped ham, peas and rice. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.

5. Place in a greased casserole dish (I used a 9x13 inch dish)

TOPPING:

1. Add panko breadcrumbs, melted butter and remaining parmesan in a bowl. Stir just until combined.

2. Sprinkle topping over casserole.

3. Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

4. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

**Salt has not been added to this recipe. The ham and parmesan cheese add a lot of salt to the dish. Taste mixture before adding to casserole dish and add salt if you think it's needed.

**If you like a creamier casserole, increase the flour to 1/3 cup and increase the milk to 2 cups.

**To make ahead of time, cover and refrigerate casserole dish after assembled. To bake, remove covering and bake as directed. Increase baking time by 10-15 minutes.