- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk in flour to coat onion.
- In a slow steady stream, whisk in milk until smooth.
- Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup each of yellow and white cheddar cheese.
- Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Toss pasta with cheese mixture; fold in ham and broccoli.
- Transfer to individual oven safe dishes or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.
- In a small bowl, toss the remaining 1/4 cup each of yellow and white cheddar with panko flakes.
- Top pasta with breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes.
- Serve hot or freeze to serve as an emergency after school snack.
Makes 15 (1 cup) servings.
Approximate Nutrient Analysis per serving (not including salt to taste):
300 calories, 12 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 15 g protein
