With all the cold weather and snow {!} we’ve had in January,
I’m afraid I already have a little Spring fever…
One of my favorite Spring recipes
is this Ham and Asparagus Casserole with noodles
It’s nothing fancy,
just a simple casserole that comes together quickly,
and is little lighter than the heavier comfort foods of winter
The secret ingredient is cottage cheese
Cook the noodles, and while they are cooking,
and microwave the asparagus*
*snap off tough ends of asparagus, rinse and wrap in a kitchen towel. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
Stir the cottage cheese into the drained hot noodles
Make a bechamel sauce by melting butter in a saucepan
Add flour and stir into melted butter,
and cook for 1 minute
Pour in milk and stir
Let sauce simmer on medium heat,
stirring occasionally until thickened,
about 6 minutes
Season and add 1/4 cup Parmesan and stir to melt.
Stir the sauce, ham, and asparagus into the noodles
Transfer mixture Into a 9″ x 9″ casserole dish
Top with additional Parmesan
and bake or cover and refrigerate
for up to 24 hours if desired
When ready to bake, uncover casserole
and bake it in a 350 F degree oven
for 35-45 minutes until hot and bubbly
Serve and enjoy!
Ham and Asparagus Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick ham, cut into bite sized pieces
- 20 asparagus spears cooked until crisp tender, and cut into bite sized pieces
- 8 oz medium egg noodles
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or preferred cheese, divided
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 4 Tablespoons real butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Cook noodles, drain and stir in cottage cheese.
- Make a bechamel sauce by melting butter in a saucepan. Add flour and stir into melted butter, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in milk and stir. Let sauce simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 6 minutes.
- Season and add 1/4 cup Parmesan or cheese of choice and stir to melt. Pour over noodles and stir to combine. Add ham and asparagus to noodles and sauce and gently toss to evenly combine.
- Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. I used a 9″x 9″ dish for the above amounts. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, put casserole into a 350 oven and bake for about 45 minutes {if cold, a little less if at room temperature} until dish is golden and bubbly. Serves 4-6.
Enjoy a little taste of Spring!
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Sundays on Silverado/ Happiness is Homemade
Between Naps on the Porch / Turn About Tuesday
Wednesday Linky Party / Karin’s Cottage Linky Party/ Creatively Crafty