Southern Ham and Kale Hotdish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a large casserole dish with vegetable spray and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the Elbow Macaroni (8 oz) according to package instructions - just until al dente. Rinse and drain the noodles and set aside.

Heat the Olive Oil (2 Tbsp) over medium heat in a large skillet, add the Onion (1 cup) and Garlic (2 cloves), cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender and translucent.

Rinse the large pieces of Kale (6 stalks) to remove any grit.

Chop the kale and add it directly to the pan and cover tightly with a lid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the kale has wilted.

Stir in the Ham (1 1/2 cups) and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt Butter (3 Tbsp) Add the All-Purpose Flour (3 Tbsp) and cook, whisking constantly to combine. Stir in Salt (1/2 tsp), Ground Black Pepper (1/4 tsp) and Cayenne Pepper (1/4 tsp). When the roux begins to bubble, cook for one minute.

Gradually whisk in the Milk (3 cups) a little at a time. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 1 minute until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar Cheese (1 cup).

Stir until melted, set aside.

Add the noodles to the cheese sauce and stir until well coated. Add the noodle mixture to the kale mixture and mix until combined and transfer to the casserole dish.

Tear the Bread (1 slice) into chunks and add them to the mini prep food processor. Add the Butter (1 Tbsp) and Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley (4 Tbsp) and pulse until bread crumbs are formed.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the casserole.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly and browned on top.

Serve and enjoy!