The challenge: Trying a new food item = butternut squash in a main dish.
This pasta will warm you right up during those cold winter nights in Iowa. If you’re into wedding gifts, here’s a recipe for the couple-to-be to prepare together. This is a great recipe because you hardly need to measure anything – and I love that!
What you need:
1. Pasta of your choosing (twisty ones can catch the tasty sauce)
2. Butternut squash (one medium or large size)
3. Bacon (as many as your heart desires) – 4 to 8 slices worked for the two of us
4. Diced yellow sweet onions (or any onion)
5. A clove or two of garlic
6. A can (15oz) of chicken broth
7. Salt & pepper to taste; shredded parmesan cheese for topping
For the husband to be:
1. Bring to a boil a big pot of water. Take the pasta and dump it in the pot as directed on your box. When done, drain and set aside.
2. Cook bacon as you normally would for breakfast on stovetop. Pat bacon dry with paper towel. Reserve one tablespoon of bacon fat for wife.
3. When done, clean up any mess you may have made, set the table and leave the kitchen.
For the wife to be:
1. Peel, de-seed & cut butternut squash into small cubes.
2. Dice onions. Smash garlic.
3. Use husband’s bacon fat to sauté onion & garlic until translucent.
4. Add cut butternut squash and all of the chicken broth to pan. Bring to boil then reduce heat to let simmer for 15-20 minutes until soft. When soften, smash it all up real well (with potato smasher if you have, fork, or spatula.)
5. Add husband’s pasta.
6. Plate and top with parmesan cheese of your choosing and bacon strips on top.
Happy eating!
(recipe adapted from Martha Stewart. See the actual recipe with real measurements.)