Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Kids do love squash - they just don't know it!

So. . . .yes, it is true . . . .I have not blogged in a REALLY long time! Sorry about that :) Catching up would be very long so today I promise to move forward keeping up with all the fun and exciting happening with the Tippetts family :)

So today, I am posting my new favorite recipe. Some of you have been wanting it so here it is - the absolute most trickiest (I think I just made up that word) recipe that you will ever feed your kids! My kids loved it - granted they did not know they were eating dquash :)

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese



Ingredients:
  • 1 butternut squash (about 1 lb)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cup milk (I used half and half)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 lbs elbow pasta
  • 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbl finely shredded parmesan
  • 4 tbl breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
  • Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush lightly with olive oil and lay cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • Once soft, remove the flesh of the squash and place in a large pot or saute pan. Add the chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to smooth our the mixture. (I have an immersion blender, but you could also use a food processor, regular blender, potato masher - basically anything that will mash up the chunks of squash). Boil the mixture for about 5 minutes or until starting to thicken, then stir in the cheddar cheese until melted. **Note - it is important to use the extra sharp cheddar so give the sauce a strong cheesy flavor.
  • While the squash mixture is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions.
  • Once cooked, add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combined.
  • Place the mixture into a greased baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, parmesan, and bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over the pasta and cover with foil.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

1 comment:

Christine said...

Uh-mazing! (looking forward to more posts :)