Stovetop Mac ‘n Cheese with Ham and Peas
and lemony kale salad

Name: Stovetop Mac ‘n Cheese with Ham and Peas
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 oz Ham, thick deli-sliced, chopped; 5 oz Cheese, cheddar, grated; 1 cup Peas, frozen; 2 Tbsp Butter; 2 tsp Flour, all-purpose; 1/2 tsp Garlic powder; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1 1/2 cups Milk, any type; 2 1/2 cups Water; 8 oz Pasta, shells or macaroni (look for something with a recommended cook time of 10 minutes); 1 tsp Mustard, Dijon; 1/2 tsp Hot sauce (opt); 1 Tbsp Lemon juice; 2 tsp Vinegar, red or white wine; 1 tsp Mustard, Dijon; 1/2 tsp Honey; 3 Tbsp Oil, olive; 4 oz Cucumbers, chopped; 6 oz Baby kale

Active: 40 Total: 40

Original GF Paleo Vegetarian

Stovetop Mac ‘n Cheese with Ham and Peas

The pasta for this cheesy mac cooks in a smaller amount of liquid than most and isn't drained after cooking. The starchy pasta water transforms into a thick, creamy sauce that is made even more rich with the addition of your favorite cheese.
Smarts #1: Keep a close eye on the pasta the entire time it cooks and stir frequently to prevent sticking and prevent the liquids from bubbling over.
Smarts #2: Be sure to use a pasta that has a recommended cook time of 10 minutes. You need the right liquid-to-pasta ratio so that there is enough (but not too much) sauce left in the pan.

Proteins

Cheese, Deli meat

Cuisines

American

Ingredients

Metric

Servings:

Stovetop Mac ‘n Cheese with Ham and Peas:

Ham, thick deli-sliced - 4 oz , chopped
Cheese, cheddar - 5 oz , grated
Peas, frozen - 1 cup
Butter - 2 Tbsp
Flour, all-purpose - 2 tsp
Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Milk, any type - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Pasta, shells or macaroni - 8 oz (look for something with a recommended cook time of 10 minutes)
Mustard, Dijon - 1 tsp
Hot sauce (opt) - 1/2 tsp

Lemony Baby Kale Salad:

Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp
Vinegar, red or white wine - 2 tsp
Mustard, Dijon - 1 tsp
Honey - 1/2 tsp
Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
Cucumbers - 4 oz , chopped
Baby kale - 6 oz

Prep

Make vinaigrette - Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, mustard (portion for salad), and honey. Add olive oil while whisking. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Ham / Cheese - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Cucumbers - Chop cucumbers. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Peas - Defrost.

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Make

Heat a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Add butter. When butter melts, whisk in flour, garlic powder, and salt until no dry spots remain.
Slowly pour in milk while whisking and increase heat to medium-high. Add in water. Bring to a simmer.
As soon as liquids are simmering, add in pasta. Wait until the water begins to simmer again and then set a timer to cook the pasta until tender, 10 minutes.
As the pasta cooks, stir in mustard (portion for mac 'n cheese) and hot sauce. Stay near the pasta and stir frequently to prevent sticking, especially towards the end of cooking when most of the liquids have cooked off. Reduce the heat a bit at a time so that the liquids are simmering vigorously but not boiling over.
Remove from heat and add the cheese in several additions, stirring gently after each addition (this will help the sauce to be creamy instead of grainy). (The sauce may still seem a bit thin, but will continue to thicken as it cools.)
Fold in ham and peas.
Just before serving, toss cucumbers and baby kale in vinaigrette until dressed to your liking.
Serve mac ‘n cheese with salad on the side. Enjoy!

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