This is your Thanksgiving’s elevated mac and cheese. With this side we decided to honor the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes while also incorporating fall vegetables. The butternut squash in this pasta dish is appealing to the typical passerby because it looks like conventional mac and cheese, yet the flavor is surprisingly cheesy and subtly sweet from the butternut squash.
1lb pasta
1 butternut squash, cubed
2-4 tbsp + 1 tsp EVOO
2 tsp Mendocino Spices Ground Paprika
2 tsp Mendocino Spices Rubbed Sage
Mendocino Spices All-Purpose Seasoning, to taste
1 head garlic
2 Boursin cheeses (I used Shallot & Chive)
– Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
– In a large 9 x 13 casserole dish, mix a few tablespoons of EVOO and Mendocino Spices with a whisk or a fork.
– Toss butternut squash in seasoned EVOO. Add additional Mendocino Spices All-Purpose Seasoning until generously seasoned.
– Making two wells in the casserole dish, snuggle in both Boursin cheeses in between squash pieces.
– Wrap your head of garlic in some foil. Before wrapping, coat with 1 tsp of EVOO and season liberally with Mendocino Spices All-Purpose Seasoning.
– Bake squash and garlic for 30-35 minutes. While squash and cheese are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions (al dente).
– Once squash is pierceable with a fork, remove from oven and mash with either two large forks or a potato masher.
– Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of the head of the garlic and mix in squash mixture along with the pasta. Serve hot and garnish with Mendocino Spices Crushed Red Pepper and extra Parmesan cheese!