6 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
12 ounce of macaroni noodles
3 cups whole milk, warmed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package of frozen pureed butternut or winter squash, defrosted
1/4 cup of chopped onions
1 clove of garlic, minced
– Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
– Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter (microwave works just fine) and drizzle over panko bread crumbs in a small bowl and toss to combine.
– In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the elbow macaroni until al dente. Drain the macaroni and return them to the pot they were cooked in.
– In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, onions, and garlic and sauté until the onions are clear.
– Add the flour and use a flat-edged wooden spoon or heat-safe rubber spatula to stir the mixture together, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning, just until it starts to turn a light brown color, about 5 minutes.
– Slowly add the warm milk and stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
– Slowly stir in the defrosted winter squash puree until it is completely combined and there are not lumps.
– Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the dry mustard, salt, pepper, and all of the cheese except for a small handful.
– Pour the cheese and squash sauce over the cooked elbow macaroni and gently stir until all of the noodles are coated with sauce.
– Pour the macaroni and cheese into the greased baking dish and top with the panko bread crumb mixture and the remaining handful of cheese.
– Bake until light golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Linda’s Notes:
– This recipe, minus the vegetables, is my go-to traditional macaroni and cheese
– If you want to make the ahead of time, the macaroni and cheese mixture can be kept in the refrigerator up to two days before baking with the bread crumb mixture
– Any variety of cheese can be used in this recipe to change the flavor one way or another
Delusions of Chefery 