Roasted Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

I want to offer some good old-fashioned comfort food this week. October was a month of soups (and a batch of pumpkin muffins because I couldn’t resist) to get in the mindset of fall and winter, but November is all about the cozy, warm meals perfect for this time of year.

Roasted butternut squash makes a silky rich sauce without being heavy. The salty bacon and roasted cauliflower add texture and flavor to the dish. I recommend buying the pre-cut butternut squash to save yourself a few minutes of work. I know you can find it at Safeway and Costco, but I’m sure other grocery stores carry it too. Fontina cheese is very mild which is why I chose it for this recipe but a smoked gouda or sharp cheddar would be delicious as well. I have a decadent 'all-cheese' mac and cheese recipe on the blog if butternut squash isn't your thing. It has bacon and smoke gouda, parmesan and the creamiest most delicious sauce you're ever tasted. Recipe is HERE if you want to take a look.

Roasted Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced

• 1 bay leaf

• 12 ounces pre-cut, cubed and peeled butternut squash (about 2-2 1/2 cups)

• 1 medium cauliflower, chopped into bite size pieces

• 1 cup Fontina cheese, shredded

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1 box pasta, penne, shells or cavatelli all work well

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 3 pieces center cut bacon, diced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet spread the cauliflower and butternut squash evenly on the pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, use a spatula halfway through to flip the vegetables so they cook evenly. The vegetables should be golden brown and cooked through.

In a saute pan, cook the onion and bay leaf in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil for 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic to the onion and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are soft and translucent.

In a food processor or blender, pulse the butternut squash, half of the roasted cauliflower (set aside the other half for later), the onion and garlic until smooth. Make sure to remove the bay leaf from the onions! Slowly add the chicken stock (you could also use vegetable stock, water or milk) until the sauce is smooth and silky. Add nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper to the sauce.

In a large pot, boil the pasta in heavily salted water. Drain the noodles when they are not quite finished cooking, you want them to still have a bite. Put the noodles back in the large pot and pour the sauce over the noodles. Stir in the roasted cauliflower and mix the shredded cheese into the pasta.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spoon the pasta into the baking pan and spread the diced bacon evenly over the dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the bacon is cooked through and the edges are bubbling, about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the dish with dried parsley and serve immediately.