Guest Blog Post: Butternut Mac and Cheese

Audrey from Dangerously Daydreaming joins us today. When my wife and I were in the first ten years of our marriage we ate more than our share of Hamburger Helper. While it did its job of a low cost filling meal, it was hardly a great meal. Take a look at what Audrey has put together below and check out her blog as well….

Hello wonderful Ranting Chef readers!
I’m Audrey from Dangerously Daydreaming and am so excited to stop in and share one of my favorite recipes. This has been my go-to as the weather gets colder and those comfort foods become staples of my winter diet. This one has all the comfort but plenty of healthy deliciousness too (and can be made gluten-free or vegetarian as you like). Since being diagnosed with a gluten-sensitivity and trying to eat more healthy, I have not been able to indulge in a good bite of macaroni and cheese, and boy, do I miss it! So this guilt-free, easy, creamy, cheesy recipe was born.  And since I’m such a carnivore, I opted to add some local, grass-fed, ground beef to the mixture.  It kicks Hamburger Helper’s butt!

butternut-macncheeseButternut Mac and Cheese

What you need:

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 lbs. ground beef (optional)
  • 1 package macaroni pasta (I used gluten-free penne)
  • 4 oz. white cheddar cheese
  • 4. oz. Havarti cheese
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp. flour (almond flour for gluten-free)
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 bunch scallions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Halve the butternut squash, remove the pulp in the center, and place the squash on a cookie sheet.  Bake the squash until it is tender when poked with a fork.  Set aside to cool.

Brown your ground beef in a skillet and set aside.  Shred all the cheese, and finely chop the scallions.
With a spoon, scoop out all the squash (leave the skin) and purée in a blender or food processor.

Cook your pasta according to the packaging instructions.  If you’re using gluten-free pasta, depending on what it’s made from, it may cook more quickly than regular pasta.  Add a bit of coconut oil and sea salt for flavor.

In a pot over medium heat, combine coconut oil and flour with a whisk.  Stir in milk and add herbs and spices.  Add cheese and mix well until it melts into the sauce.  Stir in the squash, ground beef, and the pasta.  See?  Easy.

Dish up, garnish with scallions and  enjoy!

Audrey

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Categories: Baking 2, Beef, Cheese, Guest, Lunch2, Main Dish 2, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetable2

Author:The Ranting Chef

Check out the best recipes at rantingchef.com

10 Comments on “Guest Blog Post: Butternut Mac and Cheese”

  1. January 5, 2013 at 1:44 pm #

    Holy cow… I must have this. What a fantastic recipe!

    Like

  2. January 5, 2013 at 2:16 pm #

    I must try this

    Like

  3. January 5, 2013 at 4:00 pm #

    YUMMM! Does that look good! We are gluten free and dairy free at my house so I make Mac and No Cheese with a butternut squash sauce. Of course it doesn’t taste like cheese, but it is still very good.

    Like

  4. January 5, 2013 at 7:49 pm #

    Hello My Friend

    I have nominated you for The Liebster Blog Award – Congratulations! Please visit here: http://wp.me/p2zGQ7-TV to find out the rules for accepting the award.

    Like

  5. January 7, 2013 at 9:58 am #

    I make a similar recipe & yours looks drool worthy too! 🙂 MMMMMMMM!

    Like

  6. Piece of Pie and a Dash of DIY
    January 8, 2013 at 11:48 am #

    My mouth is watering!!!

    Like

  7. January 10, 2013 at 4:24 pm #

    Almonds are a great muti-pupose food. They can be eaten raw, ground into flour, whizzed into home-made nut butter or cooked in various dishes to add flavour and texture. Adding a nutty, buttery crunch to a variety of foods, Almonds can transform any dish including cereal, pasta, stir fries and curries. Almonds can also add crunch to a salad too.

    Like

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. At The End Of The World: Tel Megiddo | Dangerously Daydreaming - January 7, 2013

    […] blogger for the first time ever! The wonderful Ranting Chef has been kind enough to highlight my Butternut Squash Mac’n'Cheese recipe over at his blog. Pat is an excellent chef with some fantastic recipes and I’m so honored […]

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  2. Easter Recipes | Rantings of an Amateur Chef - March 28, 2013

    […] Butternut Mac and Cheese […]

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  3. Easter Recipes | Rantings of an Amateur Chef - April 16, 2014

    […] Butternut Mac and Cheese […]

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