Butternut squash

I cut it in half and put melted butter and brown sugar on it and bake it. Yum!

I have an amazing mac and cheese recipe with butternut squash in it. Let me know if you want it. 

post it! 

I cut it in half and put melted butter and brown sugar on it and bake it. Yum!

Oh now that sounds really yummy!!!

I have an amazing mac and cheese recipe with butternut squash in it. Let me know if you want it. 

Please!

When I was a kid, my mom always baked it with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar.  Veggies and dessert!  There was never any left over....

stealthy-healthy-ish-mac-cheese

1 butternut squash
6 cloves garlic
1/2 c cottage cheese
1 c milk
2 T rice flour
2 shallots, sliced thinly
(6 oz aged extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded - 4oz cheese curds (or big cubes of cheddar) 2 oz Parmesan finely grated or blue cheese, crumbled) or
(10 oz gruyere 3/4 shredded, 1/4 chunkily cubed)
2 oz parmesan, finely shredded & divided in half
salt & pepper

1 lb elbow macaroni
4oz salty cured meat product, (or faux pork product) cubed or sliced

Cut the squash in half and roast face down on a cookie sheet in a preheated 450°f oven for 35 minutes or so, until you can side a knife into it. Just toss the garlic cloves in husks on the sheet as well.

Let the squash cool for awhile and then peel off the skins. Cook the macaroni until it’s cooked through but still tough. Strain and set aside. Squish the garlic cloves out of their husks and into a new bowl. Mash in the squash. Add in the cottage cheese and mix until combined.

Preheat the oven to 400°f.

Put the rice flour in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in small amounts of the milk until it forms a paste. Whisk in the rest of the milk. Add in shallot and some salt and pepper. Let simmer for 10 minutes or so. If it gets too thick add in some more milk. Pour into the butternut squash mixture and combine. Add in half the shredded cheese and all the parmesan or blue. Spice to taste. Fold in the macaroni.

Transfer to a baking dish, or several individual dishes. Strategically place gruyere cubes or cheese curds on the dish and sink them into the center of the dish with your fingers. Re-spread the macaroni over the holes. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the shredded cheese.

Bake until the top is browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with a bit more salt & pepper and serve.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can really adjust it to your taste. I added some pancetta in mine, but I think you could adjust the cheeses to add flavor. Maybe use a smoked gouda for the smoky flavor without adding the meat. 

I cut it in half and put melted butter and brown sugar on it and bake it. Yum!

We always did it that way too!

Lately, I've been peeling the skin off, chopping it into cubes and baking it with a bit of butter and nutmeg. It works out easier when we have it as a side dish than having the big halves to deal with.