It’s Harvest Feast night at my kids’ school.

Families bring food pot luck, and each class makes a food based on what they grew in the school garden. I’ve helped my girls’ classes make jam and thumbprint cookies and soup.

Our family is bringing this squash mac and cheese to the potluck. It’s one of my favorite fall foods. The squash adds fiber and a little sweetness. I’ve this from adapted from Elie Krieger’s recipe.

Squash Mac & Cheese

1 lb macaroni (I used a slightly smaller box)
1 quart cooked squash* (2 10-oz packages frozen)
2 cups milk
8 oz grated cheddar cheese (or other sharp cheeses)1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. powdered mustard
dash cayenne
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cook the macaroni and drain well. Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish.
3. In the meantime, heat the squash and milk together until it starts bubbling. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. If your squash was not pureed previously, you may want to use an immersion blender at this point to smooth out the sauce.
4. Stir in the salt, mustard, and cayenne.
5. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until just melted in.
6. Pour the cheese mixture over the macaroni, stirring to make sure the sauce spreads over all the noodles.
7. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and olive oil together. Sprinkle over the macaroni.
8. Bake for about 20–25 minutes.

Sometimes I add a meat like ham and/or other veggies like peas, broccoli, or kale to make it a more complete part of dinner.
* I cut my squash in half and place cut side down in a baking dish. I add about an inch of water and bake at 350 degrees F until the squash is soft. After it cools, remove seeds and scrape the squash flesh out of the skin. (You can simmer the seeds and skin to make a mild vegetable broth if you wish).