Butternut squash mac 'n' cheese

Following a request for the recipe, as copied from Food Network, here it is.

Peel, chop, and steam one small butternut squash until tender. Mash till smooth. Rachael Ray just bought an 8 ounce packet of frozen butternut squash puree from Trader Joe's and defrosted it, so I guess you could also do that. We don't have Trader Joe's (or indeed any decent supermarkets) over here. I've also used sweet potatoes in place of squash, and they work really well -- very earthy.

Finely grate one small onion (or half a large one). I use my Microplane grater, which gives a lovely onion slush. Add the slush to 3 tablespoons of oil or butter with a sprinkle of dried thyme and cook for a couple of minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to make a roux, and stir over the heat for a couple more minutes. Gradually add 2 cups of vegetable stock (I used the water from steaming the squash and some stock powder), stirring constantly to form a smooth, thick sauce.

Stir in the mashed squash, a cup of grated cheese (cheddar, Jack, something flavorful and melty), salt and pepper to taste, a splash of milk, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Stir well.

Add cooked pasta -- about 12-16 ounces for 4 people (or however much you normally use for 4 people). Mix well. Pour into a baking dish, sprinkle with more grated cheese, and heat through in an oven or under a grill/broiler until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy.

You can of course add things like chopped mushrooms and pepper or (ugh!) ham to the mix. Serve with a salad or green veggies.

Eet smaakelijk!