"Creamy squash and cheese crisps only make you think you're off the diet cliff!" says James Beard award winner Laura Werlin, author of Mac & Cheese, Please! and The All American Cheese and Wine Book.

Ingredients

　　6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

　　8 ounces shell pasta

　　2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter, divided

　　12 whole fresh sage leaves, plus 2 tablespoons, finely chopped

　　2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　3 cups 1 percent milk

　　1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　2 cloves garlic, chopped

　　1/2 tsp salt

　　2 cups shredded Fontina

　　1 1/3 cups reduced-fat shredded Swiss cheese

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　Heat oven to 375°. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, shape Parmesan into 8 2-inch rounds. Bake until golden, 10 minutes; remove from sheet to cool. Cook pasta as directed on package; set aside. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 2 teaspoons butter. Cook whole sage leaves until crisp, 45 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving butter. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until light brown, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook, 5 minutes. Add squash, garlic, reserved butter and salt. Cover; simmer until squash is very soft, 25 minutes. In a food processor, puree squash mixture. In a pot over medium-low heat, heat squash puree, Fontina, Swiss, chopped sage and cayenne; stir until cheese melts. Stir in pasta. Serve with Parmesan crisps and sage leaves.

Nutrition Per Serving

　　16 g fat (10 g saturated)

　　39 g carbs

　　3 g fiber

　　19 g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by Self