Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Submitted by Queen of Harts

"This recipe is from Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats cookbook. I adapted it a teeny-tiny bit. I also like to cook up a hot dog, cut it up and put it in my bowl of mac and cheese!"

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• coarse salt
• 1 lb macaroni
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 -2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 medium onion (you will grate it right into the pot)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen butternut squash, defrosted
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (not the kind in a can)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

directions

1. Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water,then add the pasta and cook al dente, about 8 minutes.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme and grate the onion directly into the pot with a Microplane or grater. Cook the onions for a minute or two.
3. Add the flour and cook with the onions a minute or two more.
4. Whisk in the stock, then add the squash and cook until warmed through and smooth.
5. Stir in the cream and bring to a bubble.
6. Stir in the cheeses in a figure eight motion and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste to adjust seasonings.
7. Drain the cooked pasta well and combine with the sauce. Serve.

Reviews

[sofie-a-toast]

Wow this was AMAZING! One of my favorites of 2012 for sure. I loved the adult, more hearty and flavorful taste this had. If you had kids this would also be a surefire way to get some veggies in them. So good, I'm already dreaming about the leftovers for lunch. Many mac and cheese recipes I've tried dry out but this one was swimming in sauce. I even had an extra 1/2 cup or so left over. I ended up using fresh butternut squash by cooking it quickly in the microwave then pureeing it. I also poured the finished product into a pan, sprinkled more Parmesan and chili flakes on top then broiled it for 8 minutes to give it the browned top I love. Thanks Queen of Harts!

 

[Sydney Mike]

Yup! Made yet another mac & cheese dish primarily for a neighbor couple though I kept two small servings here for the 2 of us for personal taste testing! I did ask them about the hot dogs since the couple had 2 small grandkids for the day, but they opted out of that! Still, I followed the recipe on down, & was pleasantly surprised at how nice this tasted! The neighbors, not surprisingly, loved it as well! Thanks for sharing the recipe! [Made & reviewed in Zaar Chef Alphabet Soup recipe tag]

 

[Sharon123]

Yummy mac and cheese! I used veggie broth and halved the recipe. Thanks, I was craving a good saucy mac and cheese. Made for Best of 2012 game.