Butternut Squash Panko Crusted Mac N Cheese Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously-salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a separate large sauté pan until melted. Add the sage leaves (if using) and sauté for 1-2 minutes until crispy. Transfer the sage leaves to a separate plate and set aside.
• Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Then add in the butternut squash and vegetable stock and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the stock reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and mashes easily with a fork.
• Transfer the squash mixture to a blender. Add in the milk and give the mixture a quick stir. Then very carefully (I recommend slightly opening the cap on the blender lid, so that excess steam can escape) pulse the mixture until smooth.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water for later. Then drain the pasta.
• While the pasta is cooking, return the butternut squash mixture back to the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add in the shredded cheddar cheese, and stir until it has melted into the sauce.
• Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper as needed. (I used about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.)
• Then once the pasta is drained, return it to the stockpot. Pour the butternut cheese sauce on top of the pasta, and toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add in some of the hot starchy pasta water to thin it out.
• Serve warm, garnished with the crispy sage leaves if desired.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water then add the pasta and cook to al dente or, with a bite to it.
• While pasta cooks, heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme and grate the onion directly into the pot with a hand held grater or Microplane. Cook the grated onion in butter and oil 1 to 2 minutes, then add flour and cook together 1 to 2 more minutes. Whisk in stock, then combine with butternut squash until warmed through and smooth. Stir in cream or half-and-half and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheeses in a figure 8 motion and season the completed sauce with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings.
• Drain cooked pasta well and combine with sauce. Serve alongside chicken sammies and top with thyme leaves picked from remaining sprigs (Boo would also have a little extra sprinkle of that cheese, please!)

BUTTERNUT MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
• Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle half of the squash with olive oil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet cut-side up (reserve the other half of the squash in the fridge for another use). Roast, watching to make sure the surface doesn't get burned (it should have some brown areas, however), until fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Scrape out the flesh into a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
• While the squash is roasting, add the onions and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large, ovenproof skillet over low to medium-low heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they're deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove them to a plate.
• In the same skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk it to make a thin paste. Cook it for 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking gently, until slightly thick, a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You'll probably want to add more salt!
• Turn the heat to low and stir in the mashed butternut squash. When it is warm, stir in the cheese. If the sauce is overly thick when the cheese is melted, add a splash of milk. Keep stirring until the sauce is nice and hot, then stir in the macaroni. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a pan and combine it with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the macaroni and bake (I do it straight in the skillet) until the crumbs are golden and the edges bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Place squash in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook, covered, 8-10 minutes or until tender., Meanwhile, place yogurt, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a blender. Drain squash and transfer to blender; cover and process until pureed. Return mixture to saucepan; heat through. Stir in cheeses until melted., Drain pasta; add to squash mixture. Toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs., Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place butternut squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet.
• Roast squash in the preheated oven until soft, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove squash flesh from skin and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour and mustard into melted butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture until the mixture has the texture of heavy cream, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir butternut squash, white Cheddar cheese, and Cheddar cheese into milk mixture until cheese is melted. Stir rotini into cheese mixture. Pour cheese mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with bread crumbs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PANKO-CRUSTED MAC 'N CHEESE

Steps:

• Make Breadcrumbs and set aside. Heat oil in skillet over med.-high heat. Add shallots and rosemary; sauté about 5 minutes. Mix in breadcrumbs. Cook another couple mins., just to give panko a little color/flavor; stir in parsley & pour mixture in bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9 baking dish. Caramelize butternut squash in butter with sage. (start early so you can cook it well enough). Cube up about 2/3 to ¾ of a med. butternut squash into ½" cubes. Tear up 6-8 fresh sage leafs into 1/2"+ pieces. Heat several tbls butter in large skillet over med./med.-high heat (enough to generously coat whole skillet). Cover about 80% of skillet with single layer of squash cubes. Toss in a pinch or two of the sage leaves. Allow the squash to cook down and caramelize. Stir/flip INFREQUENTLY (do not mash the cubes - let them cook.). You want the cubes to get a nice, caramelized look to them - not burnt, but definitely starting to brown. When they are about half-way there, throw in a few more larger leafs of sage. Set the finished squash cubes aside in a bowl. Cook macaroni until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Make Mac 'n Cheese sauce. Melt 3 tbls butter in large pot over med. heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; stir constantly 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture begins to boil, about 5 minutes. Add Monterey Jack and Gouda gradually, stirring until cheeses melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Gently mix butternut squash/sage in to cheese sauce. Stir macaroni into warm cheese sauce, mixing gently. Pour Mac 'n Cheese into buttered 13x9 baking dish. Evenly spread breadcrumb mixture on top of Mac 'n Cheese in baking dish. Bake mac and cheese until breadcrumbs are golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. EAT THAT JUNK!