Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
3 Cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 1/4 Cup chicken broth (fat free, low sodium)
1 1/2 Cup Milk (non-fat, if you have it on hand)
2 Cloves garlic
1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs dijon mustard
3/4 Cup sharp cheddar
2 Tbs yogurt (plain, non-fat)
1 1/4 Cup domestic swiss cheese, shredded (or gruyere, if your wealthier than me...)
1 Cup Romano cheese, grated
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese, finely grated (or parmigiano-reggiano cheese...)
1 Pound pasta (corkscrew, or elbow, or shells, or whatever)
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 Cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Combine cubed squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a saucepan, bring to a slight boil and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. It should look like this....
Remove it from the heat after 25 minutes, and let it cool a bit. While you're letting it cool, start to cook the pasta.
Put the squash mixture (with all the liquid too) in a blender, add salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, dijon, and the yogurt, and blend until smooth. Note: If it's still hot, take the middle part of the blender lid off and cover it with a towel to let the steam escape...
Pour the squash puree in a large bowl. Stir in all the cheeses and whisk to combine. It should look like this...
Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and add it to the cheese/squash mixture, and stir it together. Spread it into a 9x13 casserole dish.
Then, add the tsp of olive oil to a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko, and cook until the crumbs have turned golden brown. Add some more parmesan cheese to the panko if you're feeling sassy, and sprinkle it over the pasta. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Another Note: This is also a wonderful dish to freeze to have for later. Freeze before baking.
