When I saw this month's cover of Cooking Light magazine, promising "Favorites Made Healthy - Mac & Cheese - Creamiest Ever" I was skeptical. I was even more skeptical, after reading the recipe, since one of the main ingredients that gave the dish its typical yellow-orange color was not cheddar cheese, but pureed butternut squash. I'm a big fan of squash, but really didn't see how it would fit in this recipe.
After making this, I couldn't be more surprised. This was the best macaroni and cheese I've ever made. The combination of three hard cheeses (gruyere, parmgiano-reggiano, and pecorino romano) provided a great, nutty, salty flavor. You can't taste the butternut squash, but it gave the dish a great creaminess. I'm definitely making this recipe again. It's great for potlucks, and very simple. Other than adding a sprinkling of paprika on the top right before baking, I followed the recipe as it was written.
