Special Diets

Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Macaroni

• From: Munchin with Munchkin

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash, cubed

• 1 Tbs olive oil

• 1 cup macaroni

• 2 Tbs half-and-half

• 2 Tbs butter

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, grated

• 1 1/2 Tbs flour

• 3 cups milk

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

• 1 1/2 tsp thyme, divided

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

• 2 Tbs goat cheese

• 4 tsp mozzarella cheese

• 1 Tbs melted butter

• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

Try this inventive twist on a perennial favorite.

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Toss cubed butternut squash in 1 Tbs of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss on a cookie sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping half way through.
• In the meantime, cook 1 cup of macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside; allow to cool.
• Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray, set aside.
• When squash is finished cooking, pulse it in a food processor with half-and-half until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 375º.
• Over medium heat, melt butter in a large pan and sauté grated onion. Stir in flour until mixture is smooth. Slowly whisk in 3 cups of milk and stir until liquid thickens.
• Add pureed squash mixture and stir to combine. Sprinkle with nutmeg, thyme, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice.
• Slowly mix in Parmesan cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. Once combined, whisk in goat cheese and stir until smooth. salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix in macaroni until it is all equally coated. Fill prepared ramekins with macaroni, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• In a separate dish, combine melted butter with Panko bread crumbs and thyme.
• Top macaroni with bread crumb mixture.
• Cover ramekins with foil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove foil and broil until tops have browned; about 2 minutes.
• Serve immediately.