Ham and cheese casserole/Gin Lee

Ham and cheese casserole

It's almost fall y'all, and that means it's time to cozy up with some comfort food. Are you ready? Today, I am preparing a delightful ham and cheese casserole that you'll fall for.

Ham and cheese casserole/Gin Lee

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (16-ounces) of elbow pasta, cooked and drained
• 1 ham steak, cooked and cubed
• ½ cup of milk
• 1-½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese (to add on top of the casserole within the last five minutes of baking)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of seasoning salt
• ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 4 quarts of cold water (to cook the pasta in)

Instructions:

First, fill a large pasta pot with four quarts of cold water, add the elbow pasta. Cook for twelve minutes, then drain the water off in a colander. Add the cheddar and Swiss cheese, milk, and spices; combine well. Set aside.

Preparing the ham for the casserole/Gin Lee

Place the ham steak in a skillet and cook it for about twenty minutes. Flipping once after the first ten minutes. Transfer the ham steak to a cutting board or plate and slice it into chunky cubes. Discard the fat and bone (if your ham steak has any). Now, add the ham to the prepared pasta; stir well.

Next, spoon the ham and cheese pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Stir in the cream of chicken soup. Then transfer the dish to a 350 degree F oven and bake for twenty minutes. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese to the top of the casserole, then bake for about five minutes longer.

When the casserole is finished cooking, place the dish on a hot pad, allow it to sit for ten minutes before serving.

Note:

For different variations, add in some freshly cooked broccoli, or other types of vegetables. Substitute the ham steak for cooked chicken, cooked turkey, or even tuna. Cream of celery soup or cream of mushroom soup can also be substituted in place of the cream of chicken soup.