Creamy Squash Macaroni and Cheese

I loved eating my mom's homemade macaroni and cheese when I was growing up. I dabbled in eating boxed macaroni and cheese in college, too. It wasn't really until I realized how bad for you macaroni and cheese is that I stopped eating it on a frequent basis. Since then, I have always been intrigued by recipes that claim to make this decadent dish more healthy (like my earlier post, "carrot macaroni and cheese".

This dish combines another ingredient that I love to eat with pasta (besides cheese), squash. The squash turns out rich and creamy, and even looks like cheese when this dish is finished. I liked this dish a lot, but Shea was definitely on squash overload this week, so I had to eat basically the entire pan by myself!

Creamy Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Courtesy of Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-light-macaroni-cheese-50400000115195/

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth $
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk $
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled $
• 2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt $
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided $
• 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
• Cooking spray $
• 1 teaspoon olive oil $
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. 2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. 3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
4. 4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. 5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
6. 6. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.