Individual Mac-and-Cheese with Ham and Peas

Macaroni and cheese is probably the epitome of kid-friendly food. Skip the bright orange kind in the cardboard box and make your own—it's easy to make and so much better.

I've upgraded my version of the traditional macaroni and cheese recipe to include some chopped ham and fresh or frozen peas, and baked it in individual ramekins which the kids love. There's something about having your own little crock of mac and cheese for dinner that's fun and comforting.

This recipe makes enough where you can fill additional ramekins and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick weeknight meal. Just pop them in the oven and 20 minutes later dinner's ready. You can use other vegetables, too, if you don't have peas—blanched broccoli or cauliflower florets work great in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macroni or other short pasta
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk (whole milk works best, but low-fat is OK, too)
• 1 1/4 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 8 ounces smoked ham, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cook macaroni until it's al dente in plenty of salted water. Drain and set aside.

In a large heavy pot melt butter over medium heat, then add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for a couple minutes, then whisk in the milk slowly to make a smooth white sauce.

Cook the sauce until thick and bubbly, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1 cup each of the cheeses and season with salt and pepper.

Mix pasta with cheese sauce and fold in ham and peas. Scoop into individual ramekins or a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake until top is golden brown, about 15–20 minutes.