Winter Squash Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese is both a comfort food and a running joke in the family. There was one Thanksgiving that I requested mac & cheese when I arrived home from out of state for the holidays. My grandma agreed to make the dish...however when it came to time to eat we noticed something was missing. She made the rue and never added the cheese. Yikes!

Winter squash be it butternut or kabocha adds not only a nutritional kick but a richness to mac & cheese. Quite frankly eating it just makes me want to say, "Yummm!" out loud.

This recipe can absolutely be done with either butternut or kabocha...I just happened to use butternut because I didn't feel like making a run to the farm for a kabocha.

Also something to note: If you ever have extra butternut or kabocha puree freeze it and save it for when you want to make a pie, soup, or more mac and cheese.

Winter Squash Mac & Cheese

Supplies: 
2 cups butternut squash puree
1 box bow tie noodles or noodle of your choice
2 tablespoon butter
1 large or a few small fresh sage leaves finely cut
1/2 cup milk (1%) 
1/2 beef broth
1 bag sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. flour

Preparing the butternut or kabocha squash: I line a casserole dish with tin foil for easy clean up and place the squash in whole. Bake until knife tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool until it can be handled.  Then scoop out the meat from the skin, toss the seeds, and blend until smooth in a food processor or with mixer. Be sure to freeze any extra puree for next time. 

Cook pasta. 

While that's cooking add butter to a pot on the stove.  Next throw in the sage and let the butter brown.  Then add flour and stir followed by milk, beef broth, squash, and cheese.  Stir continuously until cheese melts and the sauce becomes rich and thick. 

After pasta is cooked and drained add to sauce. Stir to coat and eat!