Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Great recipe! Found this on a blog called iowagirleats.com and this is a fabulous recipe for a spin on Mac & Cheese.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz rigatoni
• 1.5 lb cubed butternut squash
• 2.5 cups milk and then another 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 8 oz. shredded smoked cheddar + a little more for sprinkling on top
• 2-3 sliced cooked bacon, chopped
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbs melted butter

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and throw in the rigatoni.
2. Preheat oven 425 degrees.
3. While the pasta is cooking, cook the cubed butternut squash in the 2.5 cups milk over medium heat. Cook until tender, stirring every once in a while.
4. Mix a slurry of the flour and the remaining 1/4 cup milk. Pour this into the squash mixture once they are tender and cook for a couple more minutes.
5. Add the smoked cheddar cheese to the butternut squash mixture and take it off the heat. Stir until it is creamy.
6. Pour the cooked noodles along with the chopped up bacon into the butternut squash/cheese mixture.
7. Mix together and transfer into a non-stick sprayed baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs tossed with the melted butter and sprinkle some more cheese on top.
8. Bake for 15 min at 425 degrees.