Butternut Squash Mac 'N' Cheese

I love the idea of being able to have macaroni and cheese without so much cheese and without it sucking.  This is a great recipe for anyone trying to cut back on calories or anyone with kids (or a husband) who need more veggies in their life- because the butternut squash just looks like cheese.  My 2 year old ate this up and just thought it was cheese.  Heaps of dairy doesn't sit well with me so it was a great recipe for our family.  A traditional favourite meal without all the cheese, still tons of flavour, more veggies for everyone and nobody whined about the mac and cheese not having a ton a cheese.  Even my 6 month old was able to partake in this meal because I took out some of the squash before incorporating it into the sauce.

Source: http://www.blueapron.com/recipes/butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese-with-crispy-sage

Serves 4-6 depending on portion size (we had enough for 1 serving for me, 2 servings for my husband, a small serving for my kid, and two lunches left over)

Ingredients:

1 bunch sage
1 small butternut squash
4 rounded cups of dry penne (whole wheat fine)
3 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 tbsp flour (whole wheat fine)
1 1/2 c 1% milk (or whatever you use)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c grated parmesan
3/4 c starchy pasta water (reserved after cooking the pasta)
1/2 c whole wheat bread crumbs (2 pieces of bread)
1-2 tbsp melted butter
salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel and chop butternut squash.  Prep sage leaves and garlic.  Grate parmesan.  Make breadcrumbs (season with salt and pepper).

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. 

Melt 3 tbsp butter on medium high heat in an oven safe pan big enough for the meal (add a drizzle of oil if you find your butter is browning too fast).  Fry the sage leaves till dark green then reserve on paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Turn down the heat and add garlic and red pepper to the butter- saute for just a minute.  Add flour and whisk for a minute.  Add milk and whisk till thickened (this is called a bechamel sauce).  Turn the heat off.

Cook butternut squash for about 7 minutes (or until fork tender) in boiling water.  Add squash to sauce.  With a potato masher, incorporate squash into sauce until smooth.  Cook penne in the water from which you just removed the squash. 

Add cinnamon and parmesan to sauce-at this point you can decide if you are happy with the cheese amount.  Also adjust your sauce for seasoning- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. If you think it's not cheesy enough, add 1/4-1/2 c of grated sharp cheddar to bump it up.  When pasta is done, add 3/4 c of the pasta water to the sauce.  Stir.  Add pasta.  Stir.  Mix seasoned bread crumbs with melted butter and then sprinkle on top of pasta.  Put into a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.  When you pull it out, crumble the sage leaves over the bread crumbs.

Note: This is a great base recipe- next time I will wilt in some leafy greens to bump up the nutritional factor even more.  The sweetness of the squash would hold up really nicely to some bitter greens.  I love the little hint of heat of the red pepper flakes against the sweetness of the squash as well. 

Note: Easily made dairy free by swapping out milk for almond (or other dairy free) milk.  Sub out butter for non dairy fat and the little bit of cheese that is used can be replaced with a non dairy mock cheese since the base of this recipe is the butternut squash- I think you could get away with it without compromising the taste.  So this could easily be made vegan, too.