Mac with Butternut Squash and Jack Cheese

Comfort food, AKA heavy food that is inevitably unhealthy but irresistibly delicious, covered our dining room table yesterday. I couldn’t pass up the second best excuse (besides Thanksgiving) to sit in front of the TV and have a continual flow of cheesy, hot and delicious dishes, but I did make a concerted effort to consume responsibly! My sister, Katie, told me that she tried Bethenny Frankel’s macaroni and cheese recipe and really loved it, so I figured it would be a perfect super bowl side dish. It was definitely a hit and the “secret ingredient” wasn’t detected by the boys, SCORE! Too bad the Steelers didn’t do enough of that… Try this recipe when you’re looking for a healthier alternative to a traditionally non figure-friendly dish and you won’t be disappointed!

12 ounces whole-wheat pasta shells (shells hold the cheese better than elbows)

1 cup milk (1% if you have it)

1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup frozen butternut squash, thawed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon chili powder or a few dashes of Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon adobo sauce

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 tablespoons reduced fat Monterey jack cheese, shredded

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta shells in salted water until slightly firm, according to package directions.

2.   In another saucepan, combine the milk, Parmesan, cheddar and butternut squash over medium heat until melted and combined. Turn off the heat. Add salt, mustard, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder or Tabasco and adobo sauce.

3.   Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it. Add it to the cheese sauce and toss to coat the pasta. Taste and add more hot sauce, chili powder, adobo sauce, salt or pepper, according to your taste.

4.   Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray and put the pasta-cheese mixture in it. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, Monterey jack cheese and scallions. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.

The key ingredient to take away from this preparation style is the butternut squash. It adds to the creaminess without adding as much fat and calories as cheese, and you won’t even detect the substitute! However, there are many options to add your own twist to this recipe. For meat lovers, try adding crumbled bacon or sausage. To pump up the veggies, add sautéed broccoli or mushrooms. 

If you have a really picky eater, pick up some shaped noodles or a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and use this recipe for the sauce (instead of the packet of cheese mixture). You won’t even know the difference!