Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese

My kids loved this but still don't know they were eating squash instead of cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. sea shell noodles, uncooked
• 3-4 cups cubed butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 and ¼ cup cheese, I used medium cheddar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Optional: fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium low heat.
3. Meanwhile, peel the butternut squash and remove the seeds. Cut into large chunks.
4. Boil the squash until completely tender and then drain. OR if you have a pressure cooker cook on low pressure for 5 minutes with the vegetable broth, using quick release. Then place the squash in the blender with the butter, lots of salt, pepper, broth, paprika, and milk.
5. Pulse until smooth.
6. Pour the sauce over the cooked noodles and add the cheese. Stir until melted.
7. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve with parsley if desired.

Snickers Cake

Years ago, my sister in law, Ada, made a Snickers Cake.  It was really good.  At that time, I made a note in this blog as a recipe to post sometime, but I never got the recipe.  So recently I looked for the recipe online.  I found there are many different versions of Snickers Cake on the Internet.  I tried this one.
This cake is very moist.  I think I would reduce the amount of caramel sauce so it's not quite so moist.

Snickers Cake
1 box devils food cake mix, made according to the directions on package
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups hot caramel sauce (1 jar smuckers or my homemade recipe)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 snickers candy bars, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
caramel sauce
chocolate sauce

Bake cake in 9 x 13 pan as directed
While baking, mix condensed milk and caramel topping until well bleneded.  When the cake is done and while it is still hot, poke holes in it with a fork or straw.  Pour milk mixture over the cake.  Allow to cool completely.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the cake.
In a chilled bow, whip together the cream, sugar and vanilla.  Whip on high spead for 1 -2 minutes.  Stir in the chopped snickers.  Spread over the cake.  Sprinklke chopped peanuts on top.  Drizzle caramel and Chocoalte sauce on top.  Chill

Just a pinch recipes

I since have talked to Ada and found that this is not the recipe she used.  She shared with me the one she did use.  So, I guess the experimenting will have to continue!  Tough job, but somebody's got to do it.