Veggie Mac and Cheese

It has been a crazy week.  I’ve been trying to get my spring cleaning done, and my 2 year old potty trained at the same time.  Monday night my husband brought his new cows home.  Yesterday they broke out of the pasture, three times in three different places.  That afternoon I was baking bread, so I thought I would make some of my favorite protein packed cookies and stick them in the oven at the same time.  The plan was to post the recipe for you that evening.  Just as I put everything in the oven I noticed the cows were out …again.  So I headed out to round up cows.  My husband ran home (luckily he was working nearby) and we got the cows back in.  We began fixing fence, just as it started pouring rain, while our two year took refuge from the rain in the chicken coop.  Forty-five minutes later I made it back in the house, soaking wet, to the smell of freshly baked bread… and burnt cookies.   By the time we collapsed into bed last night, we were definitely questioning our homesteading lifestyle.  This morning I woke up and saw our two cows happily grazing in the pasture (now contained with hot fence) and I remembered why I love my life.  It is a lot of hard work, but it is also fun, rewarding, and very satisfying.

2010 Heifer and Steer

In light of all that, I thought I would post a quick and easy lunch.  This is a great way to sneak veggies past picky toddlers (or husbands).  I cook up a butternut squash once a month and freeze it in individually portioned plastic baggies, but you can buy frozen or canned squash.  I’ve also used pureed cooked carrots.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked macaroni noodles (I used tri-colored alphabet noodles)

1 Tbls butter

1/4 cup cooked butternut squash

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2-4 Tbls milk

Directions:

Cook macaroni noodles, drain return to pot over medium heat.  Add butter, squash, and cheese, stir till cheese is melted.

Add milk slowly while stirring, until you have a nice creamy consistency.  Serves 2-3.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll give those cookies another try.