Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

This week was the start of fall – but I think that someone forgot to tell the temperatures & atmosphere and all of those things that! Since fall is here, winter squash is starting to go on sale & I just couldn’t resist. I have had it sitting on the counter for a few days and when one of my best friends said she finally could squeeze time in to see me (its rough only living a few miles away & never having free time at the same time!) I decided to get inspired by this great recipe from Simply Recipes (another great resource for anything in the kitchen when you are low on ideas or inspiration or know how or whatever!)

I modified it a bit (so I didn’t have to stop at the store on the way home) and of course didn’t measure – but my version (while in the middle of my annual “back to school” cold and not having much of any sense of smell and dulled tastebuds (but still got a thumbs up from Jess) was…

• 1 Diced up Onion
• 5 (?) cloves garlic
• 1 small butternut squash
• 1/3 cup (?) parmesan cheese
• Some of the following (sorry, I’ll try to get better with measuring): red wine, chicken stock lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, milk
• Pasta (duh) – I made about 1/2 a box

  

Heat Olive Oil, saute onions & garlic until opaque, deglaze pan with some red wine. Add in the diced butternut squash (I pre-roasted mine in the toaster oven – cut side down with water in the bottom of the pan for just a bit for about 30 minutes) & about 1/2 cup of chicken stock (I use water & the powdered kind). Let that simmer for about 10 minutes, then start gently mashing it up. Add in the rest of your ingredients & start the pasta water. Once you put the pasta in (I would love to try this next time using whole wheat pasta for an even more ‘hearty/healthy” fall meal) give the sauce another taste test & do any last minute doctoring. Serve it up & grate some fresh parmesan (I go cheap and try to always keep some from the “regular” cheese aisle in the fridge – wrapped in tin foil it seems to do pretty well for quite a while!)

Bring on the cooler temps & fall cooking!