Kitchen Cats: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese


Cooking Light Mac and Cheese

Recipe Makeover article here

I have never been a huge fan of macaroni and cheese. It usually brings to mind tastes of Kraft boxed mac & cheese with its distinctly not-real-cheese flavor, or bland Velveeta-like textures that don't impart any yummy cheesy taste. Usually I steer away from mac and cheese, so I'm not sure why I was interested in making this recipe from the September issue of Cooking Light.

This recipe calls for a little more work than a normal side dish and some out-of-the-way food shopping. I left work in time to head to Your Dekalb Farmer's Market, where I picked up butternut squash, fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh grated Romano cheese, and a block of Gruyere (a cheese I had never bought before, and didn't even know what it would look or taste like). Cutting and peeling butternut squash has always been a small fear of mine, since it is such a tough, thick gourd. But I managed to do ok with a 2-lb squash.

The Gruyere was an interesting new ingredient for me. It had a mild, creamy flavor, but also with a hint that said that this is a more sophisticated (i.e. "stinky") cheese than say cheddar. But not a bad stinky.

When I was making the sauce for this recipe -- a blend of pureed butternut with milk, broth, and the many cheeses, I was blown away by how wonderful it tasted. It was rich, delicious, and comforting. The dish overall was way more delicious than I had hoped it would be. Leftovers though, did not hold up the same intensely delicious flavor. My hubby seemed to enjoy them though, especially in sandwiches (copying the "Archie Bunker" sandwich from one of the local BBQ places in our neighborhood).

Mac and Cheese serving with panko bread crumbs

Ingredients

3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1-pound squash)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 pound uncooked pasta (elbow macaroni or ziti)
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture.
Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.