Ham & Cheese Bowties

I still had some ham in the fridge from when I made scalloped potatoes so I found this recipe that I wanted to try with that pesky leftover ham. The hubby absolutely loves cheese, especially mac n cheese so I figured this was the perfect recipe because it's basically glorified mac n cheese with ham. It was super easy to whip up after work and you should have most of these ingredients already in your house. If you don't have Colby cheese you can use whatever cheese you have in your fridge. I served peas on the side but if you get really crazy and daring you can mix them right in. No Parmesan cheese? Use some bread crumbs. The possibilities with this recipe are endless. I should probably put a disclaimer on this recipe *Incredibly Cheesy* Not for the faint of heart! In fact I asked hubby if it was to cheesy. He of course replied it could never be to cheesey in his opinion. I'm off to softball practice! Enjoy!

Ham & Cheese Bowties
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Ingredients

16 oz farfalle pasta
1/4 c. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
2 c. shredded Colby cheese
2 c. cooked ham, cubed
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta & cook 8-10 minutes or until al dente, drain.

3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Saute garlic for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour, salt & pepper. Cook & stir until smooth. Pour in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir in mustard & Colby. Continue to cook stirring occasionally until cheese is melted. Remove from heat & stir in ham & pasta. Pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

4. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly & golden.