Blue plate special

I love homemade macaroni and cheese. This week I was feeling a little under the weather, so I whipped up this recipe I had been tweaking and it was a hit. SPH loved it (and he loves the traditional, southern, extra rich type) and G ate it like he hadn't eaten in weeks. It was super easy to make and I didn't tell any of them it had butternut squash in it, and no one suspected.

I based this recipe loosely off of an Ellie Krieger recipe, but reduced the amount of squash and changed a few things.

Macaroni and Cheese (with shhh! two vegetables inside!)
1 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 - 10 oz. package frozen pureed winter squash
2 c milk
2 T flour
8 oz low-fat or fat-free cream cheese
2 c grated sharp cheddar
1/2 c light sour cream
1 t powdered mustard
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3/4 t salt
(optional: 1 c of broccoli, steamed and diced)
1/4 c panko or breadcrumbs
cooking spray

Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. In a saucepan over medium heat, place the squash and 1 c of milk, stirring with a wisk. Add the flour and continue to wisk. Once the mixture is well incorporated, add the remaining milk and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from the heat and add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, dry mustard, salt and pepper, and broccoli if you are using. Drain the pasta and return to the bowl. Pour cheese mixture over the pasta and stir well. *You can either serve immediately or bake in a 9x13 pan with panko on top for 20 minutes.*