White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash

Twas a dark and stormy night, and I decided to make this Macabre-Roni and Cheese Stuffed Squash. However, as I added the ingredients, I soon realized I was creating a MONSTER!!! This bubbling, cheesy creation threatened to overwhelm my unsuspecting sauce pot. As lightning struck, and I brought the concoction to my quivering lips I realized my taste bust were ALIVE!!!! While I have scaled down this recipe for a reasonably sized household, it’s potency will none-the-less leave your family ghoulishly grinning for more.

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White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash by autumnbecomes.me

What’s better than pumpkins during Halloween, and furthermore, what’s better than Macaroni and Cheese? The answer is PUTTING THEM BOTH TOGETHER!!!!! This is bound to make it into your recipe book for the holidays.

Fair warning this makes A LOT of Macaroni and Cheese. I mean a ton. It reheats pretty well, so for a family of four, each person should get their own acorn squash. Take the leftovers and put them away in the fridge and then the next night you’ll just have to make the acorn squashes, load them up with the already made mac n’ cheese, and pop them in the oven for ten minutes! If you’d like to see the original recipe please visit Honestly Yum.

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash by autumnbecomes.me

1. 8 acorn squash, or however many you plan to individually serve. You’ll have some leftover and you can bake the leftover mac n’ cheese in a smaller dish.

2. 1 pound of macaroni

3. 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

4. 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of softened butter for topping

5. 5 1/2 cups of whole milk

6. 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg

7. 5 cups of extra sharp white cheddar, shredded

8. vegetable oil or other neutral oil

9. sea or kosher salt for salting pasta water and seasoning mac and cheese and squash

10. freshly ground black pepper

11. Panko bread crumbs

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash by autumnbecomes.me

1.) As always, it’s best to assemble all the ingredients ahead of time and read this recipe through which will simplify your cooking experience and make it more enjoyable.

2.) Preheat the oven to 375. Slice the tip of the bottom of the acorn squash off so it can stand upright. Cut the tops off the squash at the widest portion making the bowl part and the lid. Save the lids! Scrape out seeds inside with a spoon and remove any extra squash if you find it to be too thick to make a proper bowl with.

3.) Season the inside with salt and pepper making sure to rub the inside and outside of the squash and lid with oil. This will help it cook nicely. Place the squash and the lids on a rimmed baking sheet and add a little splash of water in each squash and a big splash of water on the baking sheet itself. Cook them for 25 minutes.

4.) Put a pot on to boil with salt for the Macaroni pasta, but don’t add any yet.

5.) Meanwhile make the mac and cheese. Start by getting a large pot and heating the milk on medium heat until it just begins to bubble around the sides. Don’t let it boil!

6.) In a different pot melt the butter over medium heat. Right when it begins to melt add the flour a little at a time while whisking the mixture until the flour and butter combine to make a paste. (known as a Roux but pronounced like “roo”).

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash by autumnbecomes.me

7.) Slowly pour the hot milk into the flour-butter mixture, while whisking the whole time to break up the lumps of the flour-butter mixture. Let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat, whisking occasionally until thick and smooth. THIS WILL BE A LOT. I’ve made homemade mac n’ cheese before and I was STUNNED at how much this made so be emotionally prepared for that. This is why we’re using a LARGE POT.

8.) Add the 5 cups of shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash by autumnbecomes.me

9.) Add the Macaroni pasta into the boiling salt water and cook it for about 4 minutes so that it’s just under al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.

10.) Add the macaroni to the cheese mixture. I remember thinking that there was WAY TOO MUCH cheese to pasta. I promise you though, it won’t be a lot when you cook it. The pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid and it’s because of all that cheese it reheats so well.

11.) In a microwave soften 2 tablespoons of butter

12.) Stuff the squash with the mac n’ cheese and sprinkle with a thin layer of breadcrumbs over the tops to add some crunch. Add little dabs of softened butter to the top of the mac n’ cheese in the squash. If you have extra mac n’ cheese or you would like leftovers, just place the mac n’ cheese in a greased casserole pan with a bit of breadcrumbs and bake it along with the squash.

13.) Place the stuffed squash back in the oven for another 10 minutes keeping out their lids. When finished you should be able to easily pierce the flesh of the squash with the tip of a knife and your mac n’ cheese should look set.

14.) Serve the squash with their little lids perched on top so that you have to remove it to eat the mac n’ cheese. It’s a happy treat that is sure to get your family excited no matter what.

15.) If you’re making it the next day, simply prepare the squash as you did in steps 2 and 3. When the squash is soft, just spoon the macaroni you prepared earlier into the squash bowls, top with a little more breadcrumbs, and bake it for 10 minutes just to get it all warmed up.

I enjoyed making this recipe and I hope it brightened your Halloween. If you’d like to be notified of future posts be sure to SIGN UP HERE. Also if you’re doing Christmas shopping be sure to check out my own SHOP. Thank you so much for reading this article and I hope you have a ghoulishly good Halloween! -Heather Astaneh

White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Squash by autumnbecomes.me