Scalloped Potatoes

     A lovely sunny autumn day at home and as the sun begins to drop lower in the sky, the air begins to chill. The oven has seen little use in the last few weeks of summer, one of the hottest on record, and since I have the time today, and the simple ingredients on hand, I have decided to make scalloped potatoes with ham for dinner. Boxed versions of scalloped potatoes, while convenient and quick to prepare, do not even begin to compare with homemade which requires only potatoes, flour, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Interspersing ham slices with the layers of creamy potatoes produces a warming, tasty meal. (Years ago, my mother peeled pounds of potatoes and filled a huge casserole dish for our very large family - inexpensive and a great way to stretch a few pieces of ham). In this age of excess, some may find this bland because there is no addition of cheese, onions or spices, but the method which the French call gratin, is simply cooking in a shallow dish and topping with a golden crust. Ah, and therein is the best part - the slightly crisped, almost brown top layer - a serving is incomplete without including that crusty layer!