Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

I've been known to attempt to sneak veggies into my kids' meals, hey, I bought Jessica Seinfeld's book, just like we all did. But most of the time if just doesn't work.

This recipe is an example of how I really wanted to make this recipe that I originally found in Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals, 365, and I just call it "mac and cheese" or "orange mac and cheese" and leave out the whole veggie part. Plus, the silly part is that my kids will actually eat butternut squash on it's own, just not "in" something!

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

Salt

1 lb macaroni

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped thyme

1/2 medium onion

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups stock or broth

1 10-once box frozen cooked butternut squash

1 cup cream or half and half

2 cups grated cheddar

1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

black pepper to taste

Steps:

Boil water with salt and cook pasta al-dente (with a bit of bite left). Heat

a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add EVOO and butter. Melt, and add thyme

and grate onion directly into pot with grater or microplane. Cook for 1-2

minutes, then add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk in stock then add

squash. {NOTE: I used 2 cups butternut squash soup in place of the stock and

squash separately. I then had to add about 1/2 cup stock to thin} Stir in

cream and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheese in figure-8 motions.

Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Drain pasta and combine with sauce, put in a casserole. Add a bit more

cheese on top and breadcrumbs if desired. Broil for a few minutes (or bake

in a really hot oven) to melt cheese. Freezes well, then defrost in fridge

for a day, then re-heat in oven for about 30 minutes.

Here's the step-by-step in photos in case you don't want to read the recipe above:)

Sautéing the onions in the butter.

Adding the tyme.

Add the flour to make the roux, which is just the fancy French word for "thick paste that becomes a sauce".

Butternut Squash soup in, then add the shredded cheese.

Pasta cooked al-dente (with a bit of bite to it), and drained.

Mmmmm, adding a touch of cream to the sauce.

Mix, mix, mix it all together.

Saving some of it in individual portions for my kindergartener's lunches. Still loving the Ball Plastic 8-Ounce Freezer Jars all the more when I make something like this.

I made a double recipe, which was enough for that night and another casserole for the freezer.

Garnish with parmesan cheese and sage!

Also try my Pumpkin Mac and Cheese- It's a 2-step, 1-pot kind of meal!

Jessica

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