Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta [Cook Challenge: Redescovering the Lost Art of Cooking]

I love this recipe because it is totally forgiving.  If you want more, ham, add it! More chicken, bacon, done!  It's one of those give and take kind of recipes. 

Plus, I count this as my cooking from scratch because I make my own "afredo" sauce, and really, am I going to go kill the animals for meat? or make my own pasta....yeah..... :)

You Need: 

2-3 cooked, shredded chicken breasts

1 -2 cups chopped cooked ham (not lunch meat).  You can buy ham like this in a package or I usually have one of the boneless hams in my freezer I just cut up

1 jar bacon bits (or you can cook and crumble your own if you want!)

2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese ( I also throw in some grated parmesean)

approx 3 cups alfredo sauce (You can use WHATEVER kind you want, bottled, packaged, or make your own, I make my own so I'll include the recipe I use)

1 box cooked pasta, whatever kind you like, just not spaghetti noodles

To Do:

Cook the pasta and throw in into a big mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients, salt and pepper, toss all together.

Put it in a 9x13 dish

Top with some extra cheese (of course!)

Bake, covered with foil, in a 350 oven for approx 20 min. Remove foil and set oven to broil for maybe 5 min.  Watch it, just until the cheese on top begins to brown a little.

"Alfredo Sauce"
I put it in quotes because it's not really alfredo sauce, it's kind of a cheat.  Alfredo sauce can be really heavy so I try to save a little bit and I do it this way.

3 tbsp butter
6 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups milk
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 c parm cheese
1/2 c mozzerella cheese

Make a roux by melting the butter in a saucepan first.  Once the butter is melted, throw in the flour, salt and pepper and using a whisk, whisk it together till it is combined.  It will probably be in clumps.  Whisk in the milk, slowly.  You have to whisk a lot so that those clumps dissolve into the milk.  Throw in the garlic powder and garlic salt.  Bring the mixture to a boil, continuing to whisk, or else you will end up with clumps.  Once the mixture begins to boil, it will start to thicken.  Once that happens,turn down the heat, and throw in the cheeses.  Adjust spices as  necessary.  If it is too thick, add a little more milk.  If it is too thin, let it simmer a little longer and throw in some more cheese.  Done!