homemade macaroni & cheese +butternut squash

this weekend we were in need of a good fall recipe to make for watching football 
with friends. homemade mac & cheese with butternut squash turned out to be the ticket! i kept seeing mac & cheese recipes, but my friend made one that was similar to this and so i decided on it. since husband is a southern boy he especially loved it! i made it a little healthier with whole wheat noodles, and with the squash it was amazing! we recommend it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. elbow pasta {whole wheat or regular}
½ cup unsalted butter {i used a little bit less}
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
5 cups milk
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Topping:
20 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta "al dente" {this means that it is cooked, but not quite soft since you are still going to be baking it}. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, then add the onion powder, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and the mixture begins to boil. *It does take a minute for it to thicken, and it seems like it will stay liquid..so have patience! It will thicken.* Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat the pasta.
4. Pour the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix together the crushed Ritz crackers and the melted butter until all of the crumbs are moistened, and then sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Let it cool for 10 minutes and serve.

 as for the squash, carmelized butternut squash may or may not be an obsession of mine every time fall rolls around. so i cooked this on the side but ended up mixing it in to the mac & cheese- yum!

 Caramelized Butternut Squash Recipe

1-2 medium butternut squash {4-5 pounds} 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2-1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
--Preheat the oven to 400°F.
--Cut off the ends of each butternut squash, peel the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut the squash into small cubes, then place them on a baking sheet.
--Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
--Toss all of the ingredients together and spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet.

--Roast 45 minutes to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize.
{Turn the squash while roasting a few times with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly.}
--Adjust seasonings if needed.
--Serve hot and enjoy!

 

we added roasted cauliflower, salad, and french bread as sides. 

make it for a meal this week! yum! 

xo

what are your favorite fall recipes?