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Ranch Ham 'n' Cheese Pasta

Ranch Ham 'n' Cheese Pasta
To cut the fat in this makeover recipe, we reduced the amount of butter from 1/4 cup to 1 tablespoon, switched the cheese to a reduced-fate Mexican cheese blend and chose lean ham over regular. These changes cut the calories by nearly a third and reduced the fat, saturated fat cholesterol and sodium by more than half.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin
10 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup fat-free milk
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
  • 2 cups cubed fully cooked lean ham
  • 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a Dutch oven,
  • melt butter; whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk and
  • seasonings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until
  • thickened.
  • Reduce heat; fold in sour cream until blended. Add ham and pasta;
  • cook and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat; stir in
  • Mexican cheese blend until melted. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
© Taste of Home 2013

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Ranch Ham 'n' Cheese Pasta (continued)

Directions (continued)

  • Yield: 10 servings.
Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 306 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 612 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 20 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 2 lean meat.
Wine: Medium-Bodied Red Wine: Enjoy this recipe with a medium-bodied red wine such as Chianti, Sangiovese, Malbec or Zinfandel.
© Taste of Home 2013