Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions for “al dente”.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute. You want to make sure to cook the raw flavor out of the flour. Add the spices and the Worcestershire sauce and then whisk in the cold milk and chicken broth until the mixture is smooth.

Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly until thickened. This will take maybe five minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cheeses. Drain the noodles and diced ham extremely well and combine with the cheese sauce and diced ham. It is important for the noodles and ham to be as dry as possible so that the cheese sauce does not separate and become grainy. I usually pat the ham (and sometimes the noodles too) with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Top the mac and cheese with the crushed crackers.

If your skillet is large enough and oven proof you can mix everything together in the one pan and put into a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes. If your skillet is not large enough, transfer to a 9×13 casserole dish to bake. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.