Welcome to Tasty Tuesday at Things To Do In New Jersey!
Have you been to your local New Jersey farmers’ market lately? There should be lots of really nice Jersey Fresh butternut squash (as well as acorn and other fall/winter squashes) showing up in New Jersey farmers’ markets and farm stands in the next week or so. Here’s a tip: check out the Jersey Fresh availability report to learn what fruits and vegetables are in good supply here in New Jersey.
It was kind of a dreary day yesterday and I was craving some comfort food, so I decided to make Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese. This macaroni and cheese is unlike any other I’ve had before. The creaminess of the butternut squash and cheese combined with the saltiness and crunchy texture of the bacon gives this butternut squash dish a flavor and texture that is out of this world! You just have to try it! One word of warning though… Do not attempt to calculate Weight Watchers points for this one. You don’t want to know. And trust me – you won’t care after you taste it! 😉 Here’s the recipe…
Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
16 oz. dried rigatoni
4 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
3 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup. flour
2 3/4 cups smoked Gruyere cheese (smoked Gouda or Swiss cheese may also be used), shredded
10 slices bacon
3 small sweet onions, diced
4 oz. sourdough bread
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly butter a 4-qt baking dish; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions for al denté. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
In a large saucepan, combine the butternut squash and 3 cups of the milk over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the butternut squash is tender. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour; stir into butternut squash mixture. Cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 2 cups of the cheese until melted; keep warm.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon drippings. Return skillet to the heat.
Sauté the onions in the bacon drippings, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden.
Add the butternut squash-cheese mixture, onions, and bacon to the pasta. Toss well to combine and transfer to prepared baking dish.
Place the bread in a food processor and pulse with two or three on/off turns to form large coarse crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl and mix with the melted butter. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bread crumbs over the butternut squash / pasta mixture. Bake in 425°F oven until the top is browned, approx. 15 minutes.
Related Posts:
• Curried Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup
