White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

This recipe makes 12 servings, so I cut everything in half!

1 lb farfalle pasta (I just used whatever pasta I had on hand)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 lb white ceddar cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)... I used regular cheddar cheese because white cheddar is a bit pricier

1 package (10 oz) frozen peas, thawed

1/2 lb diced smoked ham

-Heat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9x2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pasta in lightly salted water following package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain.

-While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a medium size, heavy bottomed sauce pan (not nonstick) over medium heat. Stir in flour until well blended; cook 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk and cook, whisking continuously, until smooth. Whisk in remaning 1 cup milk and continue to cook, whisking until thickened and smooth, about 5 min. Remove from heat; stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk in 2 cups of the cheese until smooth.

-In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, cheese sauce and 1 cup of the remaining cheese. Stir in the peas and ham. Pour into prepared baking dish. Scatter remaining 1 cup cheese evenly over the top.

-Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven; allow to cool 10 min. May be served warm or at room temperature.