Baked Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese
Converting one dish into another is one of my favorite creative kitchen projects. This recipe uses a “Creamy” Butternut Squash Soup as a base and by simply adding a few more ingredients turns it into something totally new. This idea can be extrapolated using lots of different kinds of pureed soups. This happens to be one of my favorites since the yellow from the squash gives it a good Kraft mac color and adds a little bit of sugar which plays really nicely with the mustard we add!
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pasta (rigatoni, penne, shells or farfalle are all great)
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups butternut squash soup
1- 1½ cup shredded cheddar (depending on your cheesiness preference)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
½ cup parmesan
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
LET’S COOK:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees
In a large pot bring enough water to cover the pasta to a boil (add salt to water)
In a second pot heat up the butternut squash soup and whisk in the dijon
Cook the pasta per the directions on the package
Once the pasta is cooked use a slotted spoon to scoop the pasta into the pot with the squash soup
Give it a good mix and fold in the cheddar cheese
Taste and add salt and pepper to taste
Pour the pasta into a 9 x 9 pyrex and cover with the parm and breadcrumbs
Cook until the top is crispy and bubbling, about 15 minutes
[SERVES 4]