Mac N Cheese with Butternut Squash

I'm planning to make some Thanksgiving treats next week for Thanksgiving dinner at my in-law's. I thought it would be a good idea to "taste test" before I actually serve this food to people besides myself and Austin. ;) One of my dishes will be this special version of macaroni and cheese. I got the idea for butternut squash mac n' cheese from my sister in law a couple weeks ago and have been excited to try it. I have fallen in love with butternut squash this year, and I have always been a fan of mac and cheese. Therefore, how could combining two wonderful things not become more wonderful? Every recipe I looked up for this was a little different and varied slightly. There are low fat versions and some with less ingredients but I was happy with how mine turned out on my first try. Not too shabby! Austin even said it looked tasty!

You'll need the following:

1/2 of 1 cooked butternut squash or squash puree
3-4 cups of chicken broth
sage seasoning about a 3 teaspoons
salt 2 teaspoons
2 teaspoons mustard powder or Dijon mustard works as well (I used the Dijon)
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 teaspoons of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (I used extra traditional pepper and used about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 lb of extra sharp cheddar cheese - (I combined 16 ounces of Colby jack and sharp cheddar Kraft cheeses, and I wish I would have used a sharper cheddar for a more savory flavor but still good!)
1 lb Cavatappi noodles

Directions
Peel butternut squash with a vegetable peeler, then cut in half. Scoop out seeds and chop the remaining squash into 1" pieces. Combine in a medium saucepan with the chicken broth, making sure the broth covers the squash completely. Add the sage leaves and bring all to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until squash is fork tender.

While the squash cooks, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the pound of whole wheat macaroni and cook according to packaged directions until al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Drain squash, while reserving the chicken broth. Add the cooked squash and sage to the blender or food processor and process in batches until smooth, adding about a cup of the reserved chicken broth. Return the pureed squash to a medium pot over low heat and add the heavy cream, spices, and grated cheddar, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is completely smooth (you will see tiny bits of the pureed squash if you look closely, but that's OK). Tip: If this sauce looks too thin and watery, just simmer it a bit to evaporate some of the liquid. Mine actually looked to thick so I added about a half cup of milk and half cup of cream.

Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve. This can be made up to two days in advance according to the recipe and can be saved in the refrigerator for up to one week.I also refridgerated mine overnight and baked it for about 40 minutes the next night. Really good. I recommend baking it for some amount of time to blend the flavors together.

The taste?! Really creamy and delicious! I would have used a sharper cheese and more spices but that's just me.

Served with Italian Herb Crusted Chicken - yum! & Seasoned Broccoli - Really...Really...Good! :)

Happy Thanksgiving Cooking!