Mac ‘n’ Cheese Dinner

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Cook macaroni in boiling water for 3 minutes. Add carrots and peas; return to a boil. Cook until macaroni is tender, 5-6 minutes longer. Drain; add ham.
In a 1-qt. microwave-safe dish, combine the milk and cream cheese. Cover and microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes; stir. Cook until cream cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes longer. Stir in mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, salt and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 284 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 609mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 4g fiber), 18g protein.

Originally published as Macaroni and Cheese with Vegetables in Taste of Home Christmas Annual 2019

Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Makes

6 servings

Don’t settle for ordinary mac & cheese! This one is my kids’ favorite meal, so I always make a huge pot. It’s an easy recipe to cut down or double (or triple!). It can also be made into a low-fat recipe if you use nonfat milk, reduced-fat cheeses and lean ham. —Raymond James, Port Orchard, Washington