Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Squash and Mac and Cheese?  Who knew that combination could be so delicious.  Though I will warn you this is not a budget dish.  We went and bought gruyere , pecorino Romano , and parmigiano-reggiano cheese.  Add that with the squash, and you've got a bit of a grocery bill.  But it was definitely worth it because it tasted so good.  The plus: using the squash makes it creamy so you can get away with a bit less cheese than the normal mac and cheese.  And you feel good about yourself because there is a veggie somewhere in all that cheesy goodness.

3 C butternut squash, peeled and cubed (throw it in the microwave for a few minutes first to make peeling and cubing easier)
1 1/4 C chicken broth
1 1/2 C milk
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp greek yogurt
1 1/4 C (about 5 oz) Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 C (about 4 oz) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 C (about 1 ounce) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, divided
1 lb cavatappi, cooked
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 C panko
2 Tbsp fresh parsley

Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium nd simmer until squash is tender.  Place squash mixture in a blender.  Add salt, pepper, and greek yogurt.  Remove the center piece of the blender lid, cover the opening with a towel, and blend until smooth.  Place squash in a bowl and stir in the gruyere, pecorino Romano, and 2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Add cooked pasta to squash mixture.  Spread in a greased 9x13 baking dish.

 Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add panko and cook until golden brown.  Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Sprinkle over pasta.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Original recipe from September 2011 Cooking Light article by Sidney Fry