One-Pot Stovetop Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

This fall, I was completely inundated with butternut squash in my CSA share. Initially, I made our family favorite butternut squash recipes including Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto and Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta– yum. I also have several new ones to share!

The recipe for this one-pot comfort food dish was adapted from Food52.com, contributed by Jesse Szewczyk. The sauce was super creamy and subtly sweet from the squash.

Decadent and delicious- an upgrade to the classic.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 T unsalted butter
• 4 cups (about 1 pound) peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• 1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 T finely chopped fresh sage leaves (from about 12 leaves)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups warm water, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 cups (1 12-ounce can) full-fat evaporated milk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 pound dried pasta, such as medium-sized shells or elbow macaroni (I used rigatoni)
• 12 ounces extra-sharp white cheddar, grated (about 3 cups)
• 2 ounces Parmesan, grated (about 2/3 cup), plus more for serving (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• toasted breadcrumbs, for topping prior to serving, optional

1. Peel, seed, and cut the squash into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Add the squash and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender enough to smash with a spatula without much resistance and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the rosemary, sage, and garlic and cook, stirring often, just until the garlic is aromatic and no longer raw, about 1 minute.
5. Increase the heat to high and add the warm water, evaporated milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. (The pasta won’t be completely covered by the liquid.)
6. Boil over medium (even reducing to medium-low if necessary) heat, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente and about two-thirds of the liquid has evaporated, 12 to 14 minutes (al dente). If at any point the liquid evaporates before the pasta is tender, add additional warm water (1/2 cup at a time- did once after 12 min) and continue cooking.
7. Remove the pot from the heat and add both cheeses. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and has emulsified into a creamy sauce.
8. Let the pasta sit for 10 minutes. (This is necessary to allow the sauce to thicken.) If the sauce becomes too thick, adjust the consistency by adding additional warm water 1/4 cup at a time.
9. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately with more black pepper and parmesan, if desired.
10. Top with toasted breadcrumbs, if desired.

Ina Garten’s Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes

Once again, Ina did not disappoint. 🙂 This classic baked macaroni and cheese recipe incorporated two of my ultimate favorite cheeses and was upgraded with a colorful tomato topping. It was really delicious- a new favorite!

This dish was part of my husband’s birthday feast this year. I was able to assemble the dish the day prior to baking it which was very helpful. I actually grated the cheeses two days in advance- which would be completely unnecessary if making this dish on its own, of course.

The recipe was adapted from FoodNetwork.com, contributed by Ina Garten. I modified the method and used Campari tomatoes and panko in the topping.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8 as a main dish or 10 to 12 as a side dish

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound (16 oz) elbow macaroni or cavatappi (I used 17.6 oz Gigli pasta)
• 4 cups (1 quart) milk (I used whole milk)
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (about 4 cups)(I used Swiss Raw Milk Le Gruyère aged over 120 days from Trader Joe’s)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)(I used Cabot 3-year extra-sharp white cheddar)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 Campari tomatoes or 4 small tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. (I set my oven to convection.)
2. Grate the cheeses with a food processor, if desired.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well. Reserve the pot for the sauce.
4. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it.
5. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the large pot (the pasta cooking pot) and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.
6. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.
7. Off the heat, add the shredded Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
8. Add the cooked pasta and stir well.
9. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. (I chose a shallow baking dish to increase the surface area for tomatoes and crispy panko topping.)*If making in advance, cover and refrigerate after this step.
10. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. (I sliced the tomatoes about 1/4-inch thick.)
11. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine with the panko, and sprinkle on the top.
12. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the pasta is browned on the top. 

Note: To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and panko on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.

Classic Macaroni & Cheese with Sourdough Bread Crumb Topping

This cheesy pasta lived up to its title as “classic.” The combination of cheeses gave it the perfect velvety texture. We ate it as part of my husband’s birthday feast this year. Everyone loved it!

The recipe was adapted from The New Best Recipe All-New Edition from the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated. The original recipe also notes that the recipe can be halved and baked in an 8-inch square baking dish. Great.

Yield: one 9×13-inch casserole: Serves 6 to 8 as a main course or 10 to 12 as a side dish

For the Bread Crumb Topping:

• 6 slices (about 6 ounces) good-quality white sandwich bread, torn into rough pieces (I used Trader Joe’s Sourdough sandwich bread)
• 3 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

For the Casserole:

• 1 pound elbow macaroni (I used Trader Joe’s)
• salt
• 5 T unsalted butter
• 6 T all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 5 cups milk (whole, low-fat, or skim okay)(I used 3 cups whole and 2 cups low-fat)
• 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)

To Prepare the Bread Crumbs:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the bread and butter until the crumbs are no larger than 1/8-inch, about 10 to 15 pulses. Set aside.

To Prepare the Pasta & Cheese:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the broiler.
2. Place a 9×13-inch broiler safe baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. (I also covered the enameled handles of my baking dish with foil to protect them from the heat of the broiler.)
3. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon of salt and stir to separate the noodles. Cook until the pasta is tender (NOT al dente).
4. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water (for reheating leftovers). Drain in a colander and set aside.
5. In the now-empty Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium-high heat until foaming.
6. Add the flour, mustard, and cayenne; whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. (I used a flat whisk.)
7. Whisking constantly, gradually add the the milk; bring the mixture to a boil. The mixture must reach a full boil to fully thicken.
8. After the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and whisk in the grated cheeses and 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Whisk until the cheeses are completely melted.
10. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is steaming and heated through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
11. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle the top evenly with the bread crumbs.
12. Broil until the crumbs are deep golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, rotating the pan if necessary for even browning. (I set my oven to Broil+Max @500 degrees.) Cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Cauliflower & Tomatoes

I have a couple family friendly comfort food pasta casseroles to share. In my house, this type of dish always seems to be the perfect meal in cold weather.

We recently enjoyed this one on a snowy evening- eating by candlelight. I thanked my lucky stars that it had finished baking before our power went out… hence the candlelight! 😉

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Chris Morocco. I used diced tomatoes and substituted fontina for provolone. I suppose half and half could be substituted for some (or all) of the heavy cream, but I went for the full indulgence on this (dark and cold) occasion.

• 1 pound pasta, such as medium shell or tube pasta (I used Capunti pasta)
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated
• 4 ounces fontina, coarsely grated
• 2 ounces extra sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
• 2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped
• room-temperature butter or nonstick cooking oil spray (for pan)
• fresh herbs such as thyme, basil, or parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°, preferably on convection.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until about halfway cooked (it needs to be very firm at this stage so that it doesn’t overcook when baked). Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid, and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
3. Combine mozzarella, fontina, cheddar, Parmesan, cream, diced tomatoes, and reserved ½ cup pasta cooking liquid in a large bowl; mix to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Add cauliflower and cooked pasta and toss to coat.
5. Grease a 3-qt. or 13x9x2″ baking dish with butter or cooking oil spray.
6. Scrape in pasta mixture and spread out into an even layer.
7. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake pasta until hot throughout and steaming when foil is lifted, 20–25 minutes.
8. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 425◦, preferably on convection.
9. Continue to bake pasta until sauce is bubbling and top is browned and crunchy in spots, 20–30 minutes.
10. Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs, as desired.

Note: Pasta can be assembled 2 days ahead. Cover and chill until ready to bake.

One Year Ago: Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie

Two Years Ago: Oscar Night Waffles

Three Years Ago: Chicken Parmesan with Chicken Thighs

Four Years Ago: Chicken, Shrimp, & Clam Jambalaya

Five Years Ago:

• Margherita Pizza with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, & Basil
• Perfect Pizza Sauce

Cacio e Pepe

This is a dream quick dish for me. Cheese and pepper… two of my favorite ingredients. This classic Italian recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit.

I have made it on a few occasions using both Barilla bucatini and DeCecco linguine fine, par cooking the pasta for 5 minutes. It is wonderful served with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables. Love it.

Yield: Serves 2 to 3

• coarse salt
• 8 oz pasta (such as egg tagliolini, bucatini, linguine fini, or spaghetti)
• 3 T unsalted butter, cubed, divided
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 3/4 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan
• 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano

1. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook, swirling pan, until toasted, about 1 minute.
3. Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and remaining butter.
4. Reduce heat to low and add Grana Padano, stirring and tossing with tongs until melted. Remove pan from heat; add Pecorino, stirring and tossing until cheese melts, sauce coats the pasta, and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry. I added all of the remaining pasta water.)
5. Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Harissa Marinade

Two Years Ago:

• Stir-Fried Chicken & Bok Choy

Three Years Ago:

• Rigatoni & Cauliflower Al Forno

Four Years Ago:

• Escarole, Feta, & Shrimp Pasta

Five Years Ago:

• $4 Spaghetti That’s Almost as Good as $24 Spaghetti

Happy Mother’s Day & Cooking for a Junior Girl Scout Cook Badge

Happy Mother’s Day! I wish all of the mom’s out there a beautiful and relaxing day. ❤ While Mr. BrookCook and my kids take care of me and the cooking today, I have time to share a special mother-daughter cooking project.

In order to earn a Junior Girl Scout Cook Badge, my daughter (with my help) had to cook a complete breakfast, a healthy dinner, and a delicious dessert. Understandably, she wanted to make meals that she wanted to eat! This was actually a great opportunity for her as she is harder to please when menu planning. It was a lesson in itself to see how much time and work is required to put together an entire meal. 🙂

We made Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins for breakfast with fruit salad on the side. She loved cutting all of the fruit herself. For the “healthy” dinner, she prepared a No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese (recipe below) with Simple Caesar Salad. Healthy enough, right? She loved it so much we have already made it again.

We made a Lemon Meringue Pie, using a store-bought pie crust, for dessert. Not only did she make the pie, she typed out the recipe to share with her Girl Scout Troop. A big project! She did a great job and I was very proud of her. I hope that she continues to enjoy cooking more and more in the future. ❤

No-Boil Macaroni & Cheese (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Yield: 8 Servings

For the Pasta:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 T coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more, to taste
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp white cheddar, divided

For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 T chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
4. Whisk in milk and 3 cups water.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove sauce from heat.
7. Toss pasta and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a 13x9x2-inch or other shallow 3-quart baking dish. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
8. Pour sauce over (pasta should be submerged; do not stir) and cover with foil.
9. Bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

For the Topping:

1. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, panko, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Remove foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, then panko mixture.
2. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer.
3. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Two Years Ago:

• Super Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

Three Years Ago:

• Stove-Top Pasta & Cheese

Four Years Ago:

• Lighter Three-Cheese Mac
• Speedy Baked Ziti

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

The sad news is that my search is over for the perfect macaroni and cheese. 😉 This version was incredible. It’s easy to prepare, the pasta is even incorporated uncooked, and I was able to assemble it in advance and refrigerate it for a couple of hours prior to baking as well.  I also loved that it had dry mustard and cottage cheese in its creamy filling. The golden-brown crispy crust on the top was just the icing on the cake.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Julia Moskin. I used DeCecco cavatappi instead of elbows (so much more fun) and decreased the amount of butter (slightly). We enjoyed it as part of my husband’s extravagant birthday feast! Absolutely delicious.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings   Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

• 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup cottage cheese (not low-fat)
• 2 cups milk (not skim)(I used whole milk)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• Pinch cayenne
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I used my favorite Cabot Classic Vermont 3-year Cheddar)
• ½ pound cavatappi or elbow pasta, uncooked

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection, and position an oven rack in upper third of oven.
2. Use scant 1/2 tablespoon of butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan. (I used a deep 8-inch round ceramic soufflé dish.)
3. In a blender or Vitamix, purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together.
4. Reserve ¼ cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta.
5. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. (I put the assembled, covered dish in the refrigerator for several hours prior to baking.)
6. Uncover pan, stir gently, sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter.
7. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

One Year Ago:

• Super Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

Two Years Ago:

• Margherita Pizza 24-hour Crust
• Perfect Pizza Sauce #2
• 24-hour Pizza Dough

Three Years Ago:

• Fresh Fettuccini with Peas, Garlic, & Ricotta Salata
• Fresh Whole Wheat-Egg Pasta Dough