Butternut Squash Mac

 I found a recipe for a Butternut Squash Mac and thought this is perfect for the fall.

*Note, next time around I'll add more cheese.

You may need a strong male for this recipe with all the slicing and dicing going on. For all you feminist out there..I'm NOT saying women aren't strong enough; however, this is a complicated dish. Cutting up the squash involves strong steady hands... and being the nervous type I figured I'd leave it to the man of the house. This is cooking with Jen AND Ben after all.

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta shells
4 cups 1/2-inch cubed uncooked butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk (or unsweetened almond or coconut)
6 ounces freshly grated Fontina cheese
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted brown butter
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
fresh chopped herbs for garnish (sage, basil, cilantro, thyme)

*If you want to bake it after in the skillet with breadcrumbs on top then follow the recipe and then bake at 375* for 15-20 min.

To cut up the squash (BE CAREFUL!) remove the ends at either side. Then cut down the middle. Once you have a round piece and a long cylinder shape start to peel the skin off of each. You can do this with a peeler or a sharp knife. We had to use both, it was a giant squash!! ;) Pictures below.. save your thoughts...

Step One: Boil the water for the shells...coming soon. Cut the squash.

Step Two: Peel away, and please please please be careful!

Step Three: Cut the round part in half and remove the guts seeds at the core.

Step Four: Boil the shells.

Step Five: Cube the cylinder part of the squash..watch your fingers por favor ;) Then add all the cubes (including the round part of the squash) to the pan with the brown sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil, nutmeg, low sodium chicken or veggie broth, skim milk, grated Fontina cheese, Parmesan cheese and *brown butter (see below).

As the shells are boiling (see box for directions); cover the pan with the cubed squash and let it cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove the pasta when done, drain and put aside.

Then in the pan used previously for shells, add your cooked squash, a little more milk, cheese and mash away.

Fold into the shells, add a garnish if you'd like and enjoy!

There you have it folks, Butternut Mac and Cheese!

*How to brown butter:

Slice butter thin and add to the pan, let it melt and stir frequently. Once the butter foams a little and turns a slight shade of brown (be careful it's easy to burn), and has a nutty aroma then stop. Pour the butter into the squash mixture in the step above.