Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mac and Cheese

 

Ingredients for Mac and cheese:

1 box of elbow macaroni

12 oz white cheddar cheese. Use the block and shred yourself

8 oz Gruyere cheese (or Emmenthaler or Swiss). Use the block and shred yourself

3 cloves of garlic, minced (or 2 tsp)

1 heaping cup of chopped onions (about 1 medium yellow onion)

1/2 cup flour

pinch or two of cayenne

pinch or two of nutmeg

salt and pepper

5 TBSP butter

4 cups of 2% milk

2 tsp dijon mustard

Bread crumb topping:

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 TBSP butter

4-5 sage leaves, chopped

4-6 Acorn Squash

canola oil and salt and pepper

Note - if you aren't doing the acorn squash and you are just doing the Mac and Cheese start at step 4 and just cook the mac and cheese in a buttered 9x13 pan at 375 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly, brown at the edges and set. 

Directions: 

1. First prepare your acorn squash. You want to preheat the oven to 375, Cut a thin piece of the bottom off the squash so they stand up right. Then cut the top off at the widest part of the squash and slightly towards the top. 

2. Use a pairing knife to cut around the seeds. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon and scrap the stringy part from the inside. Then use the pairing knife again to trim the inside. Sometimes the squash have a lot of flesh and it's thick leaving a very small hallow center. So, you want to cut some of that out so you have room to put your mac and cheese in. You can save these scraps for a soup or something later. 

3. Brush the outside of your squash (and the lids) with oil. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Drop 1 TBSP water into each squash. Roast the squash for 30 minutes. 

Start your water and cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

4. In the meantime, let's make mac and cheese. Start with a dutch oven on medium heat. We are going to do the breadcrumbs first and season the pan with butter and sage.  So, add 2 TBSP butter and chopped sage over medium heat. Let that melt and become fragrant. Then add the breadcrumbs.  Move around to coat in butter and mix well.  Let toast for 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and reserve. 

5. In the same pot, add 5 TBSP butter and onions with a little salt and pepper. Saute until soft - about 8-10 minutes. 

6. Add the flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes. 

7. Add the mustard, garlic, nutmeg, cayenne and a little more salt and pepper. 

8. Whisk in the milk over medium low heat. Bring to a low simmer for 3-4 minutes or until thickened, whisking often. 

9. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cheese a handful at a time. Continue stirring until completely melted. Taste for seasoning and likely add a little more pepper. If you need to turn the heat back on low here to melt the cheese completely you can turn it on very low. Don't stop until you have a nice smooth cheese sauce. 

10. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and mix. 

11. Scoop the mac and cheese into the squash "bowls". Press down gently and then add a bit more on top so it comes up a little. Sprinkle with sage bread crumbs.  Note - if you aren't doing the acorn squash and you are just doing the Mac and Cheese, butter a 9x13 pan and cook at 375 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly, brown at the edges and set. 

12. Bake to brown breadcrumbs and warm throughout - about 20-25 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

Note: You likely will have some mac and cheese left that doesn't fit in the squash bowls. You can reserve that in an oven safe dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and let cool. Refrigerate and enjoy leftovers. 

I served this with a Crisp Chardonnay and added fried chicken bites around the plate!