Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese

Ingredients

• Bacon

  Raw, cured pork

  2 strip or 24g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Onions

  Raw

  ½ cup, sliced or 58g

• Macaroni

  Whole-wheat, dry

  2 ½ cup elbow shaped or 263g

• Squash

  Winter, butternut, raw

  1 cup, cubes or 140g

• Chicken Broth

  Swanson Broth

  3 ½ fl.oz or 44g

• Canned milk

  Evaporated, without added vitamin a and vitamin d

  ¼ cup or 63g

• Cream cheese

  Low fat

  1 oz or 28g

• Salt

  Table

  1 tsp or 6g

• Apples

  With skin

  1 large or 223g

• Cheddar cheese

  ½ cup, shredded or 57g

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a pan over medium heat until desired crispiness is reached. Drain on papaer towels, chop, and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a skillet over low heat. When melted, add onions and let caramelize for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor, stirring often. Keep heat on low/low-medium.
3. 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.
4. Add onions and apples to the pasta. Stir to combine and add a tablespoon more broth or milk if needed. Cook until squash is tender.
5. Just before serving, mix in cheese and stir until melted. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon chopped bacon.
6. 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.