Maddi's Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• ~2 cups butternut squash puree*

• 2 Tbs butter

• 1 large leek, chopped and rinsed

• 1 shallot, diced

• Garlic, minced (measure with your heart)

• ~3.5 oz grated parmesan cheese

• Your favoritely shaped pasta

Instructions:

1. Cook and strain pasta, and reserve all of the pasta water! You will need this to make the sauce.

2. In a large pan over medium heat, add butter, leeks, and shallots. Caramelize "low and slow" for as long as you have patience for, or at least until all soft and translucent.

3. Add butternut puree and enough pasta water to loosen the mixture to a rough sauce consistency.

4. Blend the mixture with whatever blending apparatus you have, to desired chunkiness level.

5. Add in the parmesan and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more pasta water if needed for consistency.

6. Stir in the cooked pasta.

7. Top with more parmesan and fresh ground black pepper, and enjoy!

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*To make butternut squash puree:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut a butternut squash in half long ways. Scoop out the seeds.

3. Place the squash cut side down onto a parchment lined baking tray.

4. Bake until easily pierced through with a butter knife (may take up to 45+ minutes depending on how big the squash is). Check multiple locations for doneness to be sure the whole squash is cooked through.

5. Let cool until it can be handled, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving the skin behind.

6. Blend until smooth.