A Slammin' Butternut Squash Mac N' Cheese Recipe

On Saturday, I may have been the biggest boozer, but last night was the season premiere of The Biggest Loser on NBC. Lars and I have been so stoked for this. Like seriously we believe we just function better as a unit when this show is on the air. Guys, Jillian Michaels is back and she is already being a total b*tch. And oh DAYUM, there's another two hour episode tonight. I AM IN "PEOPLE FALLING OFF OF TREADMILLS" HEAVEN!

We had our friends Carrie and Karim over to watch, and I decided to bake up my own healthy take on an otherwise indulgent dinner. Now as much as I love ordering a greasy pizza and nomnoming while the people on TV throw up in buckets, I decided I'd take the cue and try to cook on the lighter side. I settled on a butternut squash macaroni and cheese recipe. I had tried something similar before but this time I used a few personal twists. I omitted the bacon (Carrie's a veggie after all) and decided to throw in chives instead. The end result: F-yeah, that's some tasty Mac. Pics and recipe below!

Megan's Butternut Squash Mac N' Cheese

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs after seeded and skinned)
1 box of 100% Whole Grain Rotini
1/2 Cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Cup Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
3/4 Cup Mild Cheddar Cheese
4 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 1/2 Cups Skim Milk
1 medium yellow onion
4 cloves of fresh garlic
1/2 cup diced chives/green onion
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat over to 375 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash in half long ways and scoop out the seeds. Next use a potato peeler or paring knife to remove the skin on the outside. Cut the butternut squash into one inch cubes and place in a saucepan with the skim milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer until squash is tender and can be mashed easily with a fork (about 10-12 minutes).

While the squash is cooking, bring a large pot of water with salt to a boil. Place entire box of whole grain rotini into the pot and cook for 13-15 minutes or until desired tenderness. When cooked, drain then transfer to glass cooking dish. At the same time, dice the yellow onion and finely chop the garlic. Cook in a small pan with olive oil until onions are soft and translucent. When finished, transfer to the same glass baking dish.

Chop the green onions and place to the side.

When squash has finished cooking turn off the heat and then mash the mixture with a fork until you get the desired texture. I like mine a little chunky so you can really see the bits of butternut squash. Add the mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. Add cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to the glass baking dish.

Now you will mix the ingredients together in the glass baking dish and add the ricotta, chives, and some of the Parmesan and cheddar. Reserve enough of the cheddar and Parmesan to sprinkle on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the top of the pasta with bread crumbs, then cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. You may want to put the dish in the broiler for an additional 3 minutes to achieve a crunchy brown topping.

Remove glass dish from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then DIG IN! This recipe is a great alternative because it skips the butter and uses the butternut squash as a base in lieu of flour and other heavy cheeses. It's also a great way to sneak veggies into a hearty meal. NOM NOM NOM NOM.