Hearty Ham and Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

I really liked this.  If you don't have ham substitute with bacon.  This is from the 2014 Milk Calendar

1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups milk
1 can 2% evaporated milk
1 cup shredded Canadian old Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup shredded Canadian Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
2 cups macaroni
3 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup diced black forest ham or cooked crumbled bacon (optional)

Topping
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (or Panko)
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning

• Preheat oven to 375F.  Butter an 8 cup casserole dish.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; saute onion and celery for about 3 min or until lightly golden.  Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring for 1 min.  Whisk in milk and evaporated milk; cook, stirring for about 5 min or until thickened.  Remove from heat; stir in Cheddar and Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook macaroni for 5 min or until almost tender.  Add broccoli; cook for 1 min.  Drain and add to sauce along with ham; stir to coat.  Spread into prepared casserole dish.
• For Topping; in small bowl, combine butter, bread crumbs and Italian seasoning.  Sprinkle over macaroni.  Bake in preheated oven for about 20 min or until bubbly and golden.

Green Minestrone with Pesto

Not a beautiful looking soup, but delicious and healthy!

1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

pinch hot red chili flakes

2 zucchini, diced

1 bunch swiss chard or kale, chopped

1 head broccoli, trimmed and chopped

1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1/2 in slices

8 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

1/2 cup macaroni or other small pasta (whole wheat if possible)

1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas

2

cups chopped escarole or baby spinach leaves

3 green onions, chopped

Pesto

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 

2 oz (60g) shaved or grated Parmesan (preferably parmigiano reggiano)

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.  Add onions, garlic and hot chili flakes.  Cook gently until tender.
2. Add zucchini, Swiss chard, broccoli, green beans and stock. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.  Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Add chickpeas and escarole, salt, pepper and green onions.  Cook 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make pesto by placing garlic, basil and salt in a food processor and chopping finely.  While the machine is running, add olive oil through the feed tube, until mixture is thin enough to drizzle.
5. Serve soup, drizzled with pesto and topped with Parmesan.  Freeze any leftover pesto.