Recipe Time

A couple of weeks ago I made some white cheddar macaroni for Sarah, Steph, and I. I found this recipe a while back in Family Circle (my mom takes it, not me) and I've made it a few times since then. The recipe calls for peas and ham, but I like to use turkey and mushrooms instead. Enjoy!






Ingredients

* 1 pound farfalle pasta
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 pound white cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
* 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
* 1/2 pound finely diced smoked ham (such as Cumberland Gap)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pasta in lightly salted water following package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain.

2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan (not nonstick) over medium heat. Stir in flour until well blended; cook 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup of milk and cook, whisking continuously, until smooth. Whisk in remaining 1 cup milk and continue to cook, whisking until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk in 2 cups of the cheese until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, cheese sauce and 1 cup of the remaining cheese. Stir in the peas and ham. Pour into prepared baking dish. Scatter remaining 1 cup cheese evenly over the top.

4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven; allow to cool 10 minutes. May be served warm or at room temperature.