ham & cheese ziti

• Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min.
• Yield: 6 Servings

25 20 45

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) ziti
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded white cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions

• Prepare ziti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the cheeses, garlic powder and pepper; cook and stir until cheese is melted.
• Drain ziti; add to sauce mixture. Stir in ham and spinach. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1-1/2 cups equals 676 calories, 28 g fat (17 g saturated fat), 106 mg cholesterol, 1,306 mg sodium, 70 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 37 g protein.

Cheese Tip

Select sharp cheddar when using packaged shredded cheese for recipes that you'd like to have a bolder flavor. If you will be shredding cheese at home from bulk cheddar, you can choose from mild, medium, sharp and extra sharp.
When buying bulk cheese, 4 ounces equals 1 cup shredded.
Store cheese in an airtight containers, plastic bags or plastic wrap in the refrigerator (about 4 months for soft cheeses and 6 months or hard cheeses).
Cheese can be frozen for longer storage time. Because the freezing process changes the cheese's texture slightly, it is best to use it in cooking or baking.
When cooking with natural unprocessed cheese, melt at low temperatures to keep the cheese from turning tough and stringy.
When adding cheese to a soup or sauce, stir in the cheese at the end of cooking to avoid over-heating. Shredding the cheese allows it to melt faster with a minimum of heating.