Creamy Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Healthy Mac ‘n Cheese sounds like an oxymoron, right?  But here we have it. Delicious, quick, and easy.

Amelia’s Squash Mac and Cheese

12 oz whole wheat macaroni noodles

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 8-oz package mushrooms, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 can fat-free evaporated milk (see picture below)

14 oz box frozen pureed squash, thawed (see example below)

1.5 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions, making sure to liberally salt the pasta water.  Leave pasta in the strainer and return pot to the stove.
2. In the pasta pot, saute onion and mushrooms in the butter (with generous pinch of salt & small pinch of pepper) over medium heat until onions soften (5-8 min), stirring occasionally.
3. Add the flour to the pot and stir mixture for about a minute.
4. Add full can of evaporated milk, whisk for ~3 minutes or until mixture has thickened a bit.
5. Add thawed squash puree to pot and whisk to combine, then add cheeses and pinch of nutmeg and continue whisking until mixture is smooth and cheese is melted.
6. Return the noodles to the pot and gently fold into noodles with a spatula or wooden spoon.
7. Serve with some more sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, alongside a green salad or any vegetable side dish. Serves 6 people.

These are the key ingredients for making this recipe creamy and smooth, yet healthy.  Evaporated fat-free milk:

and frozen pureed squash.  You can cook fresh squash and puree it yourself, but this is an easy and cheap option:

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