Mac & Cheese with Butternut Squash & Bacon

Everyone I know loves mac & cheese.  That’s a fact! I prefer to have a selection of recipes to choose from rather than always turning to one old standby.  On occasion I will make Martha’s decadent, rich, mac & cheese or broccoli mac & cheese if I’m craving nutritional veggies in the mix.  This rendition of mac & cheese is tops on my list.  The sweet, roasted, butternut squash along with the smoky bacon makes this dish special.  For the life of me I can’t remember where I found this recipe.  If you search the internet there are many recipes for mac & cheese with butternut squash.  Some puree the squash and combine it into the sauce, others mix the butternut squash with the pasta.  I love this version where the roasted squash is scattered on top of the mac & cheese along with panko bread crumbs that produce a crispy topping.

Cut the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes.  That may seem quite large but keep in mind they will shrink once roasted.

 

Turn the butternut squash with a spatula once during roasting so that you’ll have nicely browned pieces.

Bacon.  Crispy, smoky, delicious.

Panko flakes are a handy item to have.  It keeps well in the refrigerator and can be used as a topping for mac & cheese or other casseroles and even tempura. They are a wonderful substitute for bread crumbs.

Dinner is ready.

Mac & Cheese with Butternut Squash & Bacon

Serves 8

Ingredients

8 pieces cooked, crumbled bacon

3 cups cubed butternut squash (1 inch cubes)

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

1 pound penne or elbow macaroni

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

2 small garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons butter, divided

5 tablespoons flour

5 cups milk

5 cups coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar (I used Cabot Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup panko

Preparation

Lightly butter a 9 x 12 inch baking dish and set aside.

Cook bacon, crumble into fairly large pieces and set aside (always make an extra piece to snack on).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss butternut squash with a bit of olive oil, rosemary, and kosher salt and pepper.  Roast on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, turning pieces once, until just tender and nicely browned.  Set aside.  Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.

While the squash is roasting cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente.  I like to under cook my pasta by a minute or two since it will further cook as it bakes in the oven for 30 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside.  In a large sauté pan (I use a 12-inch straight sided pan) over medium heat, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 5 minutes until softened but not browned.  Add cayenne and garlic and sauté for another minute.  Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.  Once melted, whisk in the flour and stir for a minute to combine with butter.  Gradually add the milk and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat, fold in the cheddar cheese.  Stir in salt and a few grinds of pepper then stir in the crumbled bacon.  Add cooked pasta and toss to combine ingredients.  Transfer to your buttered baking dish and top with butternut squash.  Sprinkle panko evenly over the top and drizzle with the 2 tablespoons melted butter.  Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until golden brown on top.  Let mac & cheese rest for 10 minutes before serving.