Macaroni and Cheese and Butternut Squash

I am not a big macaroni and cheese fan. I realize this is a colonial favorite dating back to Thomas Jefferson, and there are a large number of families, including my own, who have Kraft Macaroni and Cheese sitting in their pantry. I am proud to say I am not one of those people.

Now if the dish has something like butternut squash in it, that to me is something worth trying.

Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut'. Original description: Courges butternut (Cucurbita moschata) Photo JH Mora, septembre 2005 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I went to Foxglove and Madison Cheese in Madison CT. They were very helpful. 

Katie Webster's Macaroni and Cheese and Butternut Squash

Makes 6 servings, 1 generous cup each. Active Time: 45 minutes. Total Time: 1 hour.
4 cups cubed butternut squash, about 1 ¼ pounds
2 cups whole-grain macaroni, 8 oz.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided
2 shallots, chopped
3 cups low-fat milk, divided
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
6 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese, about 2 cups
3 tablespoons whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian’s
½ teaspoon paprika
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Meanwhile, bring several inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer attachment. Add squash and steam, covered, until very tender 8 to 12 minutes. Mash about half of the squash in a small bowl and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook macaroni 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, and cook, stirring often until softened and starting to brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1 cup milk, mustard, rosemary, white pepper and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk the flour mixture into the simmering milk, whisking constantly. Continue to cook just until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from the heat.
Whisk the Gruyere cheese into the thickened milk mixture until it is melted. Add the mashed squash and whisk until combined. Stir in the macaroni and the remaining squash. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
Mix breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add the paprika and stir until evenly moist and bright orange. Sprinkle over the macaroni. Transfer to the oven and bake until bubbling hot and browned on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Calories: 401. Fat: 15g. Sat Fat: 6 g. Protein: 19g. Fiber: 6g. Sodium: 499mg.

Fresh out of the oven

This recipe gives you a good reason to give Macaroni and Cheese. The best macaroni and cheese you can have is macaroni and cheese with butternut squash.

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