We all like familiar foods on holidays. Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a roasted turkey, Christmas means cut-out cookies and July 4 always finds hot dogs and grilled hamburgers on the menu.

And Easter? In my house at least, tradition calls for a smoky, savory ham with a brown sugar-maple glaze. I'm pretty sure it's graced my Easter brunch table every year since I was a kid — sometimes bone-in but more often than not spiral-sliced to make it easier to make sandwiches.

And that's the thing: There's always leftovers when you have ham for dinner.

There are any number of ways use up ham the next day or beyond, but my favorite is to stir bite-sized chunks into a gooey, decadent dish of mac and cheese. Then, I top the casserole with crushed cornflakes tossed in a little butter for a crunchy finish. It's awesome.

If you're looking to save a few calories or lower the fat intake, substitute fat-free milk and evaporated milk. Also, you can always add a few green veggies to the mix — say, leftover broccoli or peas from Easter dinner.

For mac and cheese

1 pound uncooked rotelli, fusilli or cavatappi pasta

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for pan

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 cup half-and-half

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Ground black pepper

2 cups chopped leftover ham

For topping

1 cup crushed corn flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain, then set aside.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute to eliminate the raw taste of the flour. Gradually whisk in milk, evaporated milk and half-and-half until smooth.

Cook, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Whisk in grated cheese along with Dijon mustard and a few good grinds of black pepper until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in ham and cooked pasta.

Pour pasta mixture into a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Stir together crushed corn flakes, Parmesan and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle over entire pan of pasta.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8.