Tomato-Ham Macaroni Skillet

2 cups (8 ounces) elbow macaroni

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 large onion (for about 1 cup chopped)

½ medium green bell pepper (for about 1/2 cup chopped), see note)

8 ounces diced baked ham (see note)

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon dried basil

⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

2 cans (141/2 ounces each) no-salt-added seasoned diced tomatoes (see notes)

¾ cup (6 ounces) shredded cheddar, mozzarella or Italian-blend cheese

Bring 2½ quarts of water to a boil in a 4½-quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the macaroni and cook until firm-tender according to the package directions, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet that has a lid over medium-high heat. Peel and chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Stir from time to time. Rinse, seed and cut the bell pepper half into bite-size pieces, adding as you cut.

If the ham is not already diced, cut it into bite-size pieces. Add the ham to the skillet, and stir and cook while adding the garlic, Worcestershire, basil and black pepper. Continue to cook and stir until the onion is translucent and the ham just begins to brown, about 2 minutes more. Stir in both cans of tomatoes with their juices, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the macaroni is done.

Drain the macaroni into a colander, shaking the colander to remove as much liquid as possible. Pour the drained macaroni into the skillet with the tomato mixture, and stir until the macaroni is well coated. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top, and cover the skillet until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Serve at once.

Serves five.

Cook's notes: The green pepper can be left out, or substitute sliced mushrooms. Red, yellow or orange bell peppers work well, too.

Some brands now offer already-diced ham in packages alongside ham sliced for sandwiches. You can use any type of fully cooked ham - even ham already sliced for sandwiches will work (chopped), but it will brown faster.

Seasoned diced tomatoes come in lots of flavor combinations, and any type you like will work. For this recipe, we used 1 can seasoned with garlic and 1 seasoned with celery, green pepper and onions. If you can't find no-salt tomatoes, regular work fine.

Nutrition values per serving: 326 calories (25 percent from fat), 10 g fat (4 g saturated), 46 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, 20 g protein, 38 mg cholesterol, 760 mg sodium.