A "Baked Potato" Topping Recipe

Who doesn't LOVE a potato?  

I can eat potatoes anyway you can cook them - could be some of my "fat" problem, huh!  My daddy was a "Meat & Potatoes" kind of man.  We had them often as a child.  Didn't even know that there was such a thing as "instant" or powdered potatoes until college - LOL!  

Today I'm swapping you a recipe that is a TOPPING for a baked potato.  It makes a hearty, YUMMY meal just in itself!  We have served it at several group functions where we had several toppings for a baked potato dinner.  It makes a big, big bowl; serves topping for 20 potatoes approx..

Creamed Ham & Peas Topping

1/3 cup Butter

1/2 cup finely chopped Onion

1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard

6 Tblsp. Flour

1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

3 1/3 cups Milk

1 8-oz. Cream cheese; cubed

3 cups Ham strips

1 can of English Green Peas; drained

1 can Mushroom pieces; drained

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

In a large dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat; add chopped or minced onions; cook until tender.  Blend in flour, dry mustard and black pepper to make a roux ; add milk gradually.  Cook - stirring constantly - until mixture boils and thickens.  Reduce heat to low; add cheese - stir until melted.  Add in ham, peas, mushrooms and worcestershire and heat thoroughly.  Serve over  hot baked potatoes!  (This recipe was adapted from Raydell Hightower's recipe)

This recipe is something different to try.  I'm not sure if you can freeze a portion of this recipe or what I need to do is... cut down the recipe for a family portion, hmmm!  Will put it on my list...  LOL!  I usually bake my potatoes in a toaster oven during the summer. 

 Last year I purchased a toaster oven with convection cooking.  I wanted something that I could bake in during the summer and NOT heat up the kitchen and the whole house.  I use it often; not as much as I should...  Even found this website here - it's the "Toaster Oven Chef"; it's a man and woman and they have "youtube" videos of different episodes of cooking with a toaster oven.   Super-duper cool!  Maybe this'll inspire me to use my toaster oven more.  You'll have to check them out and let me know what you think!

Hope you are having a great "hump" day!  Man! It's hot out there!!  Guess it wouldn't be the summer without the heat, huh!  We are so enjoying being home; even if KV is testing some this week.  Home can be such a good place to be!  We take it all for granted - or I find that we do.  Hope all is well with you!  Keep cool and have fun - "Summer Fun" ! Yahoo!