HAM MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
• Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and green bell pepper in melted butter until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir cooked macaroni, ham, Monterey Jack cheese, hot pepper Jack cheese, and 2 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese into onion mixture until well blended.
• Gently stir milk into mixture until casserole is creamy, adding additional milk if needed.
• Stir tomato wedges into casserole. Top with 6 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese.
• Bake casserole in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and browned on top, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil for cooking the macaroni. Add salt to taste. Add the macaroni and cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain and return to pot.
• Meanwhile, cut the ham into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. There should be about 2 cups.
• Slice the mushrooms. There should be about 2 cups.
• Cut the Cheddar into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Stack the slices and cut them into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Cut the strips into 1/4-inch cubes. There should be about 2 cups.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk. Cook for about a minute; then add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Let simmer about 1 minute and add the nutmeg, Cheddar cheese, and salt and black pepper to taste.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are wilted. Add the ham and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the cheese sauce, the cayenne and cream. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
• Pour and scrape the mixture into the macaroni and mix well. Transfer to a buttered 10-cup baking dish. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and place in the oven. Bake 10 minutes. Turn the broiler to high.
• Brown the macaroni and cheese under the broiler until the top is nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes.