Baked Pasta with Winter Squash Puree

Mmmm...can you tell I love the squash and pasta combination?  First the Spaghetti (Squash) Pasta, now this.  This is a particularly great meal for the winter because it makes a lot of food, and reheats beautifully.

When butternut squash is pureed, it has a silky texture, and it's the perfect foil for subtly crunchy breadcrumbs and salty fusilli. There are also caramelized onions, which is my weakness. I couldn't find winter squash puree at my grocery store, so I made my own. Just peel a medium butternut squash, cube it, then steam it until it's soft, about 20 minutes. Put into a bowl and blend it with a hand blender, or toss it into a standard blender. Find the recipe at Everyday Food.

I served this as a meal in and of itself, but think it would be great with some green beans or asparagus and some hearty protein. You really can't serve it the wrong way!

 

Spagetti (Squash) Pasta

This meal came from laziness: John Paul and I couldn't be bothered to actually make something that required chopping, dicing, roasting, etc.  Sometimes preparing dinner is a hassle!  Spagetti pasta takes all of the effort out of cooking, and leaves you with just the tastiness.  There's some butter to add a rich, creamy flavor, the sweetness of the squash, and saltiness of the pasta, all combined in one bowl.  There were some words exchanged when it came time to decide who would take the leftovers to work.  A dish worth fighting for.  Isn't that all we want in our bellies?

Spagetti (Squash) Pasta
1 bag curly pasta
1 medium spagetti squash
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Boil water, then put pasta in.  I pour a lot of salt into my water to give the pasta its flavor.  Reserve 3/4 c. pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, poke holes into the squash with a fork, then put on a plate.  Microwave in 5 minute increments until the skin gives when poked.  This should take about 15 minutes.  Remove from microwave (carefully; it will be super hot!), cut in half, and remove the seeds.  Scrape the meat away from the skin, and place into the bowl with the pasta.
3. Throw in cheese, butter and reserved water.  Mix around until everything is melted, then season to taste.

 

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese

 Two words: yum yum.
As I've noted numerous times, I feel most comfortable cooking vegetarian entrees, both because of my deep love for veggies and my paralyzing fear of undercooking meat.  Luckily, John Paul doesn't mind eating vegetarian fare once or twice a week!
This entree is so full-bodied and complex, you won't even miss the meat in your dinner.  This was my first time cooking with butternut squash, and I was a bit surprised at how easy it was to peel and chop up.  The spices pair wonderfully with the sweet squash, and the tangy goat cheese melts into the warm lentils.  My only problem is that the recipe really only makes 3 servings, which means John Paul didn't get to bring any to work the next day (I usually win the leftovers game; it's good to be the one who cooks!).
The recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and I didn't make any changes to the original, except to opt out of the pepitas.  Serve topped with some extra goat cheese and enjoy!