Recipe: Retro Creamed Ham (serves 2)

RETRO CREAMED HAM

2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 cups milk
2 cups diced ham
1 tsp. paprika, with more for garnish
Salt and white or black pepper to taste
2 green onions, chopped, white parts with 2 inches of green
6 to 8 slices whole-wheat toast, for serving

If desired, preheat milk in a large glass container in the microwave at 100-percent power for about 1 1/2 -2 minutes to speed cooking.

Melt butter over medium-low heat in a 10-inch heavy skillet. When butter is melted, add flour and stir, cooking over medium-low heat until mixture just begins to turn golden.

Add milk to skillet and increase heat to medium, stirring constantly with a whisk to keep lumps from forming as the sauce thickens.

Still stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, keeping sauce at a bare simmer, and whisk in paprika and pepper, if desired. Add ham. Cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes (add more milk or water if mixture becomes too thick). Taste and adjust salt (ham varies in salt content) before serving.

TO SERVE:
Spoon over whole-wheat toast, sprinkle with paprika and top with chopped green onions.

NOTES:
This recipe can easily be varied: Halve it, increase it or add extra paprika, which imparts a sweet warmth to the sauce along with a lovely salmon pink color. Don't skip the green onions: They add a needed sharp note to the otherwise rich and mellow sauce. And do use a whisk: It's an invaluable tool for sauce-making.

Makes two generous servings
Source: By Joni Branch; Tallahassee Democrat - April, 2006