Especially Mondays in November. It’s cold and the days are short (so short!), and well, this is comfort food season! AKA – my very favorite season! Okok, but in all seriousness here. How cute are these baked squash mac and cheese? I’m dying over them, as in they are my favorite…and not just because they’re cute, but because they are delicious. I mean, that’s kind of obvious though right? Do you see the cheese just clinging to that pasta, and bubbling out over those squash bowls?! Oh my gosh, SO GOOD. Think sweet roasted squash stuffed with the cheesiest of mac and cheese and then topped with sourdough and crispy prosciutto breadcrumbs. And how cute would these be on the Thanksgiving table, or served at a holiday party? They’re the perfect dish to WOW your guests, trust me. I mean, again, do you see all the cheese and pasta happening here?
So seeing as it is Monday, I feel like I need to give you guys a little story to go along with all this cheese and pasta. The reason this mac and cheese came to be was really kind of stupid. I had over three gallons of goat milk in the fridge and was trying to think of savory recipes that would require a lot of milk. The amount of goat milk in my fridge right now is beyond insane. We milk the three milking goats once a day, and it gives us just over a gallon…we really love goat milk, but it’s kind of a lot to drink and cook with, especially without any of the brothers here right now. Saturday was my first time milking all three goats. My dad was off duty down in Denver (but not really off duty since he was totally hunting for props for me…ooops) and I was on goat watch. This meant that I had to milk all three goats for the first time. I’ve only ever had to milk just one, so I was kind of nervous to do all three. Guys, it’s no joke, milking three goats is a lot of work, and yes, my hands totally cramped on me, but it was also easier than I thought it was going to be. Probably because I was really dreading it, but whatever, I got it done! Then I played with the kids for a bit and continued on my way…down to Target to grab some Christmas goodies for an upcoming shoot…excited! Anyway, my point was that we have tons of goat milk, and of course mac and cheese was just the way to use it up.
So I gathered up all the cheese in the fridge (literally) and made one of the yummiest mac and cheese I may have ever made. I’ve been wanting to stuff squash or mini pumpkins all autumn long, so clearly this seemed like the perfect opportunity. You can use acorn squash, mini pumpkins or any of the fun and different squash in the stores right now. Kobocha is my current favorite! The mac and cheese is as simple as can be. I used a combo of cheddar, gruyere, and provolone and it’s just as heavenly as it sounds. Then I topped it off with some crispy prosciutto and bread crumbs, and literally said YUMMMMMMM as I was sliding everything into the oven. The great thing is that stuffing the pasta inside the squash keeps it from drying out. It also keeps the pasta all hot and melty…perfect for every single bite, as it acts as its own little thermos. Plus, I kind of think that squash is a delicious pairing with this cheesy mac! LOVE IT!
I’ll take the whole squash please!
