This Garlic Parmesan Pasta Bake with Ham recipe and post is written by me on behalf of Smithfield. All opinions are my own.

Make the most of your leftovers this holiday season with this easy Garlic Parmesan Pasta Bake with Ham. Turn your Spiral Ham centerpiece into a winning comfort food casserole the next day!

The final countdown is ON! It’s the last day of school for my kids. The final Christmas presents need to be wrapped. My fridge is brimming with food that I gotta start prepping and cooking.

But, if you ask me… preparing for Christmas is kind of like planning a wedding. You spend money and time preparing for this one day, and neglect to get ready for the marriage. Or for this analogy, the post-Christmas haze of hangovers, spoiled rotten kids, and leftovers from the Christmas Eve, Christmas morning and Christmas Dinner feasts.

I can’t do much to help you with the hangovers (except to encourage lots of water drinking and a few ibuprofen), and to be honest, I’m probably the biggest culprit contributing to the spoiled-rotten-kid bit. But, but…. I can help with the “plight” of leftovers. I am the self-proclaimed Queen of Leftovers, and relish turning the remnants of our holiday dinners into foods to enjoy for days to come.

How many of your are serving Smithfield Signature Spiral Sliced Hams for a holiday meal?

No holiday table is complete without a Smithfield Signature Spiral Sliced Ham! It’s so easy to prepare – just pop it in the oven at 275 degrees for about 10 – 12 minutes per pound, then evenly brush on the tasty glaze and you’re done. A sliced ham is the perfect centerpiece for any holiday feast! But, what I love about serving ham as an entree is it is the perfect leftover ingredient to work with.

One of my favorite comfort food dishes, especially when I’m craving something with cheesy goodness, is my Garlic Parmesan Pasta Bake with Ham. The kids love it, the adults go back for seconds!

Be sure to grab the recipe below – pin it, print it, share it! It’s the perfect answer to leftover ham after the holidays, but you can also just as easily toss in leftover chicken or seafood! Or any veggies for that matter!

And, if you’re still scrambling around for a some fabulous entertaining ideas, be sure to check out the printables and recipes from Smithfield which show you how easy it is to wow your guests with a delicious Bacon Bar!

I want to give a very special thank you to all of you, my dear readers, for ready this blog. I promise 2017 will bring many wonderful things, a completely revamped website and many, many more inspiring recipes! ~Katie

Garlic Parmesan Pasta Bake with Ham

Yield: 0

Ingredients

16 ounces pasta (I like to use a fresh pasta or egg-based pasta for this)
1 1/2 cups of ham, cut into thick slices
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
4 tbs. flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups of milk (I use 2%)
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded
Fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain then set aside.

Return pot to stove over medium heat then melt butter in olive oil. Add garlic then saute until golden brown, about 30 seconds, being very careful not to burn. Sprinkle in flour then whisk and cook for 1 minute.

Slowly pour in milk and chicken stock, whisking until smooth. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes.

Take pot off the heat then stir in parmesan cheese (reserving 2 tablespoons) and ham until smooth then add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish and top with remaining parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. Bake for 5-8 minutes or until parmesan begins to melt and pasta is warmed through.