Good evening everyone! Boy do I have a recipe for you!!!
Since fall is pretty much here and that means winter squash! It should be fall squash right? Hmmmmm
Anyho, I received a bit butternut squash from our CSA this week.
Squash is a wonderful addition to a pasta dish. It is sweet, nutritious and creamy.
Look at all that vitamin A?! It has a lot of antioxidants (vitamin C, manganese). Antioxidants destroy ‘free radicals’. Free radicals are cells that split and become metabolized. This is fine when we are young and healthy, but as we age and get diseases, free radicals become destructive to our health.
Butternut squash is also a wonderful form of fiber (F-U cholesterol), beta carotene from the Vitamin A and Vitamin B6 which is part of the Vitamin B complex that may help with cardiovascular health.
Winter squash is also inexpensive compared to other vegetables. How wonderfully big it is too! You can do so much with it.
Because I was so excited about my butternut squash, I incorporated it into one of America’s most favorite meals. Mac and Cheese!
Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese (with leeks too)
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 T olive oil
- 1/2 cup of milk (I used soy milk)
- 2 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 T butter
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta
- 2 T chopped sage
- salt & pepper
- garlic powder
- minced onion
- 1 Leek
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- 2 T Parmesan cheese
The first thing I did was cut the butternut squash into tiny cubes and roasted them with olive oil in a pre-heated oven of 400 degrees.
The smaller the cubes, the quicker it cooks. I had it in the oven for half an hour.
Then I rinsed and chopped a leek into small pieces and added it to a skillet with the vegetable stock. I let it cook for 15 minutes.
Don’t forget to set your stove to medium heat, or you will burn the pot like I did 
Then I created my cheese sauce by mixing the flour, butter and milk for 5 minutes. Then I added the shredded cheddar cheese and stirred until it was all mixed.
Once the butternut squash was soft I added it to the cheese mixture and mushed it with my spoon.
In went the chopped sage and cooked pasta.
Stired in the salt, pepper, minced onion and garlic. I meant to add fresh garlic but I completely forgot! Think Amanda think!!
Lastly I added the cooked leeks and some Parmesan cheese and put the whole mixture into the oven to keep it warm while Matt did a red wine run.
Yay Matt!
It was good, very good. It was a very filling and comfortable meal. The dinner I mean.
After we finished dinner I started to make dessert. Sweet potato pie! It is in the oven, so I’m not sure how it turned out. If it tastes good, I will definitely let you know what went in it!
Have a good night!
