Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake

Macaroni and cheese meets ham and cauliflower. This one dish meal is cheesy, comforting and just plain good. 

The original recipe called for a topping of Ritz crackers and butter. Whenever a recipe calls for those type of crackers I always substitute them for bread crumbs. Those are not crackers we typically eat and I don't like buying them just for a recipe. 

As I went to the pantry to get out the bread crumbs I saw a bag of Doritos, and decided those would make a pretty darn good topping. My family loved the Doritos on top, the only downside is when you reheat the casserole the Doritos are not crunchy anymore. My oldest did not like that and suggested adding the Doritos to each individual serving. My youngest suggested just adding more Doritos after you reheat. Either idea is a good one to maintain that delicious crunch the Doritos add to the casserole.

Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces shell pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 cups cooked cubed diced ham
• 16 ounces frozen broccoli
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup crushed Doritos

Directions:

1. Remove the broccoli from the freeze and set on counter, to allow to partial thaw, until needed.
2. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
5. Add in the garlic and ham and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add in the broccoli, stirring to mix and remove from the heat and set aside.
7. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
8. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens slightly.
9. Stir in the parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until completely melted and mixture is smooth.
10. Add the ham mixture and the noodles to the cheese sauce. Season with black pepper and stir until well mixed.
11. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese, followed by the crushed Doritos.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 529
Total Fat		31.8g
Saturated Fat		14.6g
Polyunsaturated Fat		1.3g
Monounsaturated Fat		5.8g
Trans Fat		0g
Cholesterol		94mg
Sodium		1624.7mg
Potassium		413.1mg
Total Carbohydrates		24.5g
Dietary Fiber		2.7g
Sugars		6.5g
Protein		36.8g
Vitamin A 17.1% Vitamin C 74%
Calcium 53.3% Iron 15.2%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Inside BruCrew Life.