Butternut Mac & Cheese

I was so intrigued when I saw this recipe on the cover of Cooking Light magazine. I even bought the magazine.

I made a few changes to the recipe, mostly just being lazy. But it was easier to put together than I had expected. I think I'd like to try different combinations of cheeses. The original recipe called for Gruyere instead of Cheddar buuuuuut, its kind of expensive and I already had a lot of Cheddar on hand. I think it was a bit too heavy on the Pecorino. Anyway, maybe there's room for improvement there. Still came out creamy and rich.

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3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1-pound squash)
1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 pound uncooked cavatappi
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup panko

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Set aside.

Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Add Cheddar, Pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Blend until combined.

Pour squash mixture over cooked pasta, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle panko and remaining parmesan evenly over the hot pasta mixture.
Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve immediately.

See? The cut up squash even LOOKS like Cheddar, doesn't it?

Pork Chops with Acorn Squash & Tomatoes

I loved this idea of combining acorn squash with cherry tomatoes. It came from RealSimple.com. How appropriate for this time of year: summery tomatoes and autumn-y squash! Also, turned out to be really easy.

The recipe originally suggested chicken breasts, but when I went to Kroger, the pork chops were cheaper.

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1 small acorn squash (about 11⁄2 pounds)—halved, seeded, and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 pork chops

Heat oven to 425° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash, tomatoes, and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast until the squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels before seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Serve with the squash and tomatoes and sprinkle with the oregano.