Dear Jeanne: This is one of my family's favorite recipes. I adapt it by adding vegetables and using chicken instead of ham. I use it a lot because it's quick and easy, but I know it isn't good for us. I would love to make a lighter version of it. Is that possible? — Rosalie Shelley, Highland, Utah
Dear Rosalie: This sauce is a version of Alfredo sauce, which is well-known for being full of fat. Fortunately, there's a product called fat-free half-and-half, which is a very creamy substitute for whipping cream. I have greatly reduced the fat, but if you want to decrease the calories even more, reduce the amount of pasta. I did reduce the amount of pasta some, but you might want to decrease it even more.
HURRY-UP HAM AND NOODLES
5 to 6 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups julienned fully cooked ham
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Cook the noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the ham, cheese, onions, salt and pepper. Heat through. Drain the noodles; add to ham mixture and heat through. Makes 4 servings.
HURRY-AND-LIGHTEN-UP HAM AND NOODLES
12 ounces uncooked pasta (any shape, preferably flat)
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup julienned, fully cooked, extra-lean ham
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Combine the fat-free half-and-half with the flour. Blend until dissolved. Place half-and-half mixture in a skillet over medium heat and stir frequently until it boils. Add the butter, bring back to a boil and add the Parmesan cheese, ham, green onions and pepper. Heat through. Add to the pasta. Makes 7 cups cooked pasta and 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Makes 4 servings.
Each serving contains approximately: Original Recipe: 1,069 calories; 49 gm fat; 1,248 mg sodium; 149 mg cholesterol; 120 gm carbohydrates; 35 gm protein; 4 gm fiber. Revised Recipe: 487 calories; 9 gm fat; 889 mg sodium; 36 mg cholesterol; 71 gm carbohydrates; 24 gm protein; 2 gm fiber.
Pasta is near the top of most lists of favorite foods. My booklet "Pasta — Everyone's Favorite Food" is full of light but satisfying recipes. To order, send $3 (check or money order) and a stamped (57 cents), self-addressed, No. 10 envelope to Pasta P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.
Jeanne Jones is a consultant on menu planning, recipes and new-product development for major hotels and spas. She is also the author of 32 cookbooks, most recently "Jeanne Jones' Homestyle Cooking Made Healthy" (Rondale Press, $27.95). Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, (Deseret News), P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (57 cents), self-addressed envelope. © King Features Syndicate Inc.