Linguine a la Anne

Linguine a la Anne

1 lb linguinie
6 cups cooked cubed ham
1 stick of butter (1/2 stick used on prep day, 1/2 stick used on serving day)
1 4oz can mushrooms
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups water
1 12oz can evaporated milk
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese (I used mozza)
1 each red & green pepper (used on serving day)
1 cup croutons (used on serving day)

Cook the lingine according to package directions - DO NOT OVERCOOK!!  Drain, and return it to the pot you boiled it in.

Melt 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan.  Blend in the flour and salt, then the liquid drained from the mushrooms, the water, evaporated milk and bouillon cube.  Bring to a boil and stir the sauce a minute or two until it thickens.

Add 2 cups of the sauce and the drained mushrooms to the linguine and toss until well mixed.  Spoon the linguine mixture into a 13x9 baking dish, pressing it up the sides to leave a slight hollow in the middle of the dish. 

Toss the ham in the remaining sauce and spoon in into the hollow into the pasta.  Sprinkle with the cheese and freeze.

When thawed, bake the casserole, uncovered for 20 minutes at 400F.  Meanwhile, saute the sliced peppers in the remaining butter until soft.  When serving, sprinkle croutons around the edge of the casserole and mound the center with sauteed red and green peppers.