Ham Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ham and macaroni and cheese go perfect together. I am always looking for different types of meat to go into my mac and cheese, and ham was a good choice. You can use several types of pasta for this recipe, such as macaroni, shells, or penne. The process to making this dish is very easy. After the noodles are done boiling, a delicious cheese sauce is prepared. The sauce is mixed with the pasta and ham and placed into a baking dish. The dish is then topped with buttery breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and baked in the oven. This is also a great way to use up leftover ham. Ham macaroni and cheese makes a perfect dinner for any night of the week. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
8 ounce penne pasta (or macaroni, or shells)
¼ cup butter
1 garlic clove (minced)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups milk
½ teaspoon prepared mustard
2 ½ cups shredded Colby cheese
4 ounces cooked ham (cubed)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup butter

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al denta. Drain and set aside. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs and ¼ cup of melted butter. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt ¼ cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook while stirring for 2 minutes. Pour in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir in mustard and Colby cheese. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the past and ham.

Step 3: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 2 quart baking dish. Pour the pasta and ham mixture into the baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. Place into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.
(Makes 6 Servings)

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