Ham and Cheddar Roll-Ups with Buttery Honey-Mustard Glaze

Black Forest ham and sharp cheddar cheese, rolled into tender noodles and brushed with a zesty honey-Dijon blend (kicked up with onion and garlic). A quick bake in the oven and the cheese melts, the ham warms through, and the honey mixture melds into the pasta. These roll-ups will definitely excite your palate.

I made this for dinner with what I had on hand and soon realized that it's an excellent way to clean out your deli-meat-drawer! I used ham, but you could use turkey, pastrami, salami, roast beef, etc. Same with the cheese, try Swiss, mozzarella, pepper jack, whatever you have handy.

Why did I use ghee?  First a quick primer. Ghee is 100% golden, flavorful, clarified butter. To create ghee, butterfat is simmered until the oil separates from the other components (namely water and milk). The components are strained off and what's left is ghee, free of lactose and the milk protein casein (great for folks who can't consume dairy products). I like using ghee not only for its beautiful flavor, but because it's more heat stable, meaning it has a higher smoke point and doesn't burn as quickly (regular butter can burn at 350 degrees, whereas ghee can withstand heat up to 485 degrees). That's great news for folks who want to pan-fry with butter without burning the dish. In this recipe, I just love the velvety quality it adds to the honey mixture.

About the serving size: I used 12 noodles so there are 3 roll-ups per serving. Use 16 noodles if you want to serve 4 roll-ups per person.

Ham and Cheddar Roll-Ups with Buttery Honey-Mustard Glaze

Cooking spray
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
8 ounces thinly sliced or shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces sliced ham of choice (I like honey and Black Forest)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon ghee or unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray.
Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and arrange the noodles in a single layer on a large piece of foil. Top the noodles with the cheese and then the ham. Tightly roll up and secure the rolls with wooden picks. Arrange the roll-ups side-by-side in the prepared pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, ghee (or butter), mustard, onion, and garlic. Brush the mixture all over the top and sides of the roll-ups (you can move them a little so you get all sides).
Season the top with salt and pepper.
Cover with foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and the roll-ups are hot.

Serves 4