I love pasta – any kind, and of course with bacon and butternut squash – how can you lose?
- 1 butternut squash (2 lb.) peeled, cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red peppers
- 5-6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cups elbow pasta
- 1 tub three cheese cooking crème
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 2 cups of shredded four Italiano cheese, divided
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with a non-stick product like Pam. Combine the squash, crushed red peppers, and olive oil. Pour into baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes until the squash is tender. While this is cooking, cook the pasta as directed, omitting any salt.
Drain the pasta, reserve 1/3 cup of the water. Add to the squash mixture with the cooking crème, cooking water, whipping cream, bacon and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix lightly .
Level it out in the pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake for 2-25 minutes until heated through completely.
Serve with a crisp green salad, warm dinner rolls and, of course, a nice cold beverage.
Pasta With Mushrooms and Butternut Squash
An easy Friday night dinner to prepare and just relax. Pour a glass of wine , kick off the shoes, and set the table. Be sure to light the candle(s) to set the mood.
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated and divided
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 butternut squash peeled, halved and seeds removed
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 6-8 sage leaves, tear into small pieces
- 10-12 oz. button mushrooms, brushed and quartered
- 3/4 lbs. penne pasta
Preheat oven to 425. Toss the breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp. cheese and a pinch of salt.
Pour yourelf a glass of wine and begin. Cut the squash into 1/4 inch pieces. Toss squash with 3 tbsp. of oil , add the sage leaves and spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
Brush the mushrooms with remaining oil. Push the squash over in the pan and add the mushrooms, roasting for 10 minutes. Flip the vegetables and bake a further 20 minutes or until tender and golden in colour.
Remove the squash from the oven and sprinkle the mushrooms with the breadcrumb mixture and return to roast another 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the pasta and remaining cheese and add the vegetables. Gently stir (or toss) to combine.
More wine, perhaps?
If necessary, add a touch of pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Drizzle with more oil and cheese if warranted.
While this is happening, boil the penne in salted water and cook according to instructions.
Ladle into your prettiest Italian pasta bowls and enjoy. You can now exclaim….thank goodnss for Fridays.
Silky Butternut Squash Bisque
This is truly a super winner! You may think you don’t like squash, BUT give this a try and I promise you, you will make it often.
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1″ – 1 1/2″)
- 2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 litres vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 250 mls whipping cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a large baking sheet, place cubed squash in one layer and bake for 45 min. Let cool, remove from pan and deglaze.
Heat a large pot over medium heat, then add 2 tbsp. vegetable stock. Now add the celery, onions, garlic, carrots and stir, cooking until soft.
Add the flour and continue stirring and cook a further 2 minutes. Add the stock , cream, squash and deglazed juice. Bring to a boil then turn down the temperature and simmer for about 50-60 minutes.
With a hand held emulsifier, (I call it a motorboat blender) blend until very, very smooth and strain*, making sure to press it all through. If there is any pulp, simply discard. Garnish with Creme Fraiche (recipe below).
* If you use your blender, you may have to strain this bisque, otherwise, it is not necessary. It is sooooooo smooth.
Creme Fraiche
- 3 parts whipping cream
- 1 part buttermilk
Stir together until well combined. Put in a glass jar or container, cover with saran wrap and poke a few holes in the saran. Sit it on the counter for 2 nights then refrigerate for up to 1 week. (If this is summertime, only sit it out for 1 night).
This is truly sumptuous and oh, with the left over buttermilk, maybe your perfect husband will make pancakes the next day. Yup! mine did. Gotta love that man!
Squash
(similar to twice-baked potatoes)
Serves 4
- 2 butternut squash (about 5 1/2- 6 lbs in total)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 9 tbsp. sour cream
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 3-4 tbsp. panko crumbs, lightly toasted
- Butter
Preparation: Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove all seeds and fibers. Sprinkle surface with salt and pepper. Fill a roasting pan with 1/4 inch of water. Place squash in the pan, cover with foil and bake for about forty minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough for you to handle. Now reduce oven to 425 degrees.
With a large spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh of the squash and put in a bowl making sure to leave one-quarter of an inch so they retain their shape. Add all the ingredients except the crumbs and mix well until smooth. Fill the empty shells with the mixture, sprinkle with toasted panko crumbs and a few tsps. of butter dotting the top. Return to oven and bake for another 25 minutes.
You won’t believe how tasty this is! In a word-yummy.
From my “Stress Free Extraordinary Dinners” Cookbook