Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions

I love macaroni and cheese.  Love.  Actually, I just love cheese.  But putting it on macaroni and letting it melt is awesome.  Unfortunately, it's not very healthy, and I am trying to eat more healthy these days.

So when I came across this recipe (again, from Pinterest!) for a reputedly healthy Butternut squash mac & cheese with apples, caramelized onions and bacon, I almost didn't believe it could be any good (and who puts APPLE in mac and cheese, anyways?!?!).  Instead of bacon, I decided to serve it with ham on the side, as my Mom used to make ham and mac&cheese for dinner when I was growing up, and as my family was visiting me for the holidays, I wanted to pay her home-cooking homage :)

Funny story about the ham, though - I thought I was just buying a slice of a whole ham.  Turns out, I bought an entire ham.  Yup.  For real.  Good news is that ham freezes really well, so I will be eating ham for the next few months....

So here's how I made this lovely Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions:

First, slice the onions, then heat some butter in a pan and start caramelizing them...

Stir every now and then...

...meanwhile, cut up a Granny Smith apple...

...and make sure to chop it into bite sized pieces:

If you don't go for canned pureed butternut squash (I don't...), then cook the butternut squash and puree it yourself :)... add the broth, cream cheese, and evaporated milk and stiiiiir it all together until everything is melty and gooey (another benefit of not going with canned butternut squash... once you cook it and puree it, it's nice and warm to help you get the gooey-ness :)...

About 10 minutes to go on caramelizing the onions (they take about 30 minutes), start cooking the whole wheat pasta (I don't recommend going for "al dente" with whole wheat...), and when fully cooked, let it drain into a colander...

Now, toss the pasta with the butternut squash mixture...

...then add the apple, onions and cheddar cheese...

...and fold in!!! EXPERIENCE JOY!!!

...then, have your Dad slice the Giant ham you accidentally bought...

...into beautiful slices such as this...

...And... then start plating. Then start eating.  Savor the beautiful flavors.  The butternut squash is the creaminess that helps you cut out all that cheese (but of course, there is still some cheese), which is why this actually is a healthier version of the real thing.  And the crisp apple helps add a tart and fruity element, which honestly pairs so well with the ham that I'm now patting myself on the back for buying a whole ham :)

And of course, I was so hungry that I completely forgot to take a picture of my plate... sadness.  But trust me, it was good.  HIGHLY recommend, in fact :)

Here's the full recipe (minus the ham), slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum:

Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ½ box whole grain elbow macaroni (about 2.5 cups dry)
• 1 cup canned butternut squash puree
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 oz low fat cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup onions, sliced thinly
• 1 large crispy apple, chopped or grated

Directions

1. Heat butter in a skillet over low heat. When melted, add onions and let caramelize for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor. Keep heat on low/low-medium.
2. Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add butternut squash, chicken broth, evaporated milk, and cream cheese. When combined, add in salt.
3. Add onions and apples to the pasta. Stir to combine and add a tablespoon more broth or milk if needed.
4. Just before serving, mix in cheese and stir until melted. 
5. Devour.

Note: Because there’s very little butter, it can “dry out” quickly, especially once off the heat. Add a tablespoon of water, milk, or broth if you need to get it back to its original creaminess.