Creamy Butternut Squash Penne

Creamy Butternut Squash Penne
Beautiful Autumnal Recipe!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
1 box Penne pasta
2 bags frozen diced butternut squash
3/4 cup onions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp olive oil
fresh grated cinnamon
fresh grated nutmeg
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese + garnish
minced parsley for garnish
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Large stock pot
Medium sauce pan
Immersion blender
Small grater

Directions
Boil and cook pasta according to directions, drain.  In a skillet on medium heat, melt butter and olive oil.  Saute onions and garlic in a medium saucepan until translucent.  Add in butternut squash and cook until it is mashable, about 10 minutes. Pour in milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg.  Reduce heat and simmer until it starts to thicken.  Use a immersion blender and blend until pureed. Cook's note: If the sauce is thick, just add more cream to thin.  Once sauce is pureed, add in Parmesan cheese and whisk well, salt & pepper to taste.  Pour over drained hot pasta in individual bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese and minced parsley.
Serves 4-6 

 

 

Acorn Squash With Italian Sausage Stuffing

Acorn Squash With Italian Sausage Stuffing
Perfect For The Holiday Table!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

 

Ingredients
1 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
1/4 lb. Italian bulk sausage
1 cup carrots, small diced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup zucchini, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 cup Ciabatta bread, small cubes
1/4 cup pignoli nuts
2 tbsp + 2 olive oil
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Medium skillet with lid
Baking dish

Directions
Preheat oven 375 Degrees F. Take halved and seeded acorn squash and coat with 2 tbsp of olive oil inside and out.  Salt and pepper inside of squash and place in baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes. Insert tip of knife into the interior meat of the squash to check to see if the the squash is cooked.  While the squash is baking, in a skillet add; olive oil and sausage ( break apart the sausage as you are placing in the skillet).  Cook the sausage for 10 minutes.  Add in carrots, celery, zucchini, onions and garlic.  Place lid on and cook until carrots are slightly tender and sausage is fully cooked and browned. Toss in bread, pignoli nuts, thyme, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.  Once squash has cooked for 45 minutes, remove from oven and stuff each cavity with the sausage stuffing mixture and place back in oven for 15 additional minutes.
Serves 2-4

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Perfect Soup For The Autumn Season!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
4-5 cups butternut squash, peeled, diced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, diced
1 cup onions, diced
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 stick butter
1 cinnamon stick
1 slice fresh ginger, peeled
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of grated nutmeg
minced fresh parsley

Cooking Tools
Stock pot
Blender

Directions
In a stock pot on medium heat, add butter, butternut squash, apples, ginger and onion, saute for 5 minutes.  Add in chicken stock, cinnamon stick, brown sugar, milk, salt, pepper, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cook on medium-low for about 30 minutes or until the squash is very tender.  Remove cinnamon stick and discard.  Place soup into a blender in batches and blend until smooth.  Be very careful with hot liquid. Only fill half way up the blender and place a towel over the lid when blending. Pour soup into mugs and garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 4