How To Make Macaroni And Cheese With Ham

There is more than a single way how to make macaroni and cheese with ham. This is a fast and easy way to make a simple macaroni and cheese with ham dish. The ingredients are completely assembled then baked until golden brown and crispy.

To make macaroni and cheese with ham, you will need:

• 3 cups diced ham
• ½ green onions, chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup Parmesan
• 1 pound elbow macaroni, uncooked
• Oil
• 1 cup bread crumbs

1. Prepare the macaroni and cheese ingredients. Grate the cheddar and mozzarella cheese and set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave or in a small sauce pan on low heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and salt to taste. Wash and chop the green onions and set aside. Warm 3 cups of milk in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.
2. Cook the elbow macaroni. Fill a pot half way with water and add a small amount of oil to keep the macaroni from sticking together. Bring the water to a boil, add the macaroni, and stir. Bring the water to a boil and cook the macaroni for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander and place the macaroni in a baking dish. Note: The macaroni is deliberately undercooked before baking.
3. Cheese sauce with onions and ham. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a medium saucepan and melt on a medium heat. Add salt and flour and mix until the mixture is smooth. Slowly add the warm milk, stirring constantly, and cook over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add the chopped green onions and diced ham and cook for 2 to 3 minutes stirring constantly. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni. Pour half of the buttered bread crumbs over the macaroni and cheese then mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle the remaining buttered bread crumbs over the macaroni and cheese with ham. Bake in a preheated over for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve hot.

Tips

The cheese sauce is made from a basic white sauce. A white sauce can be used to make cheese sauce or gravy. For instance, make a basic white sauce, add asiago cheese and basil then pour over cooked ravioli. It makes a surprisingly elegant holiday dish with wine and asparagus tips.

Warnings

When melting the butter for the sauce, use care not to scorch or burn it. This will give your cheese sauce a burnt flavor. Never leave cooking butter unattended on the stove.

Marlena Spieler, Macaroni and Cheese.  Chronicle Books 2005

Joan Schwartz, Marcaroni & Cheese: 52 Recipes from Simple to Sublime, Villard 2001

Betty Crocker, Betty Crocker: Everything you need to know to cook today, Wiley 2005