Roast Butternut Mac & Cheese

A homemade mac and cheese recipe for one with an extra veggie twist, (so with a bit less macaroni and bit more veggies, all good for your 5 a day).  Ultimate home comfort food from a simple recipe that can easily be doubled up for a freezer spare and served with chunky bread or a crisp green salad.

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Put the squash in a roasting tin and scatter over the garlic, then drizzle over the oil. Roast for 30 minutes until the squash is tender and golden.
2. Bring a small pot of slightly salted water to boil over a medium heat, measure out the rest of your ingredients and grate your cheese while your waiting.
3. Cook the macaroni in boiling water for 8-10 minutes until just tender (al dente), drain and set aside.Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk to form a smooth sauce. Return to the heat and cook, stirring continuously, until it comes to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in about two thirds of the grated cheese, season with salt and pepper and the optional spices*, start with a sprinkle, taste and add more bit by bit.  (work your way up rather than add in far too much)
4. Preheat the grill to high.  Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce , then carefully fold in the roasted butternut squash cubes. Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish, scatter over the rest of the grated cheese. Grill for 3-5 minutes until its super hot and bubbling.

Serve straight away, on its own, or with a crisp green side salad or a chunk of fresh bread.

Roast Butternut Mac & Cheese also works well with breadcrumbs added to the grated cheese and sprinkled over the top

Cook’s Tip
Double up the quantity of this recipe and put half in a freezer-proof dish that you can cover and freeze for up to a month.