Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

This creamy, velvety mac & cheese is the perfect dish for this cozy Fall season. Butternut squash, sharp cheddar, and Good Culture cottage cheese create the perfect cheesy blend while garlic powder, fresh black pepper, and mustard powder make every bite rich and flavorful. Enjoy during your next weeknight dinner or make this for your next holiday party.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups butternut squash (~900 grams) peeled, deseeded and cubed (About 1 medium large squash 2-3 lb squash)
• ¾ cup vegetable broth (180 grams)
• ½ cup milk (120 grams)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar grated, divided (150 grams)
• ½ cup parmesan, grated (50 grams)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder or Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp cayenne powder
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 16 ounces short pasta (macaroni or shells)
• ¾ cup of Good Culture cottage cheese (165 grams)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash, peel, deseed and cube the butternut squash and measure it out.
   1. 6 cups butternut squash (~900 grams) peeled, deseeded and cubed (About 1 medium large squash 2-3 lb squash)
3. To a large pot, add the vegetable broth, milk, bay leaves and cubed butternut squash. Heat the mixture on medium low heat and simmer for about 12-15 minutes until the butternuts quash is fork tender.
4. While the squash boils, grate the cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese and set aside.
5. Once the squash has finished boiling, fish out the bay leaves and pour the entire butternut squash mixture into a blender and blitz until super smooth.
6. Place a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter, once warm add in the garlic and spices and cook until aromatic and slightly golden. About 2-3 minutes.
7. Pour the creamy butternut squash mixture into the garlic and spices and reduce the heat to low.
8. Keep this sauce on low heat while you cook your pasta in a separate pot. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 6-8 minutes, drain and reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
9. Pour the pasta into the warm butternut squash sauce. Reserve ½ cup of the cheddar cheese for topping before baking.  Alternate between adding the grated cheeses and a splash of pasta water. Stir until the sauce fully coats the pasta and the cheeses melt in.
10. Once the grated cheeses are melted in, add in the cottage cheese and give everything a good mix.
11. Serve the pasta into your desired bakeware dish and sprinkle with the reserved cheddar cheese. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden! Enjoy