Ranch Ham 'n' Cheese Pasta

Amy and I made this the other night, and it was delish. It even came from my Comfort Food Diet magazine, so it is pretty good for you too!! It looks like a lot of ingredients, but most of them are just spices, so it's really pretty easy.

1 package (16 oz.) penne pasta

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup fat-free milk

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried minced onion

1/2 tsp dill weed

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup (8 oz.) reduced-fat sour cream

2 cups cubed fully cooked lean ham

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend (we used less...)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

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. (It will look and smell like Ranch dressing!) Reduce heat; fold in sour cream until blended. Add ham and pasta; cook and stir until heated through. Remove from heat; stir in Mexican cheese blend until melted. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

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

Enjoy!! It's delicious.

*Recipe from Taste of Home Comfort Food (Diet!) Cookbook magazine, 2009, pg. 99