Squash and Pasta

I had three weeks worth of CSA squashes in my cupboard last week. I had two delicata squashes, one kabocha and one butternut. I have run out of "orange ice cubes" for smoothies, and I was worried that they were going to go bad. So I needed to roast them all. The guy at the farmer's market suggested that rather than cutting the squashes and roasting them cut side down on a baking tray that I could go ahead and cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and put them back together and wrap them in tin foil and bake them in a 350 degree oven. I also added a little sunflower oil. That worked perfectly! Everything roasted beautifully and soft. And there were no hard ends where the squash dried out. It took about and hour and fifteen minutes for them to all cook through. I will never roast a squash differently now!

I made orange ice cubes for smoothies out of the kabocha and the butternut. But the Delicatas I did a little something different. This recipe came out so well that I might start making it every week. I buy squashes, or get them from the CSA. I love them, but maybe my heart isn't totally in it. We do alot of simple mashed squash as a side dish. And the kids do NOT eat it. I haven't made a great squash recipe that everyone really really loves. But now, that has all changed.

Squash and Pasta

4 ounces of bacon

1 medium onion chopped

2-3 small carrots

1-2 small zucchini

2 delicata squashes (or substitute any other squash), cooked and mashed

1/2 pound ground sausage, browned (I had some leftover cooked turkey sausage, this is optional, but you could brown it with the bacon or just do one or the other...)

cream to taste

8 oz whole wheat pasta

Dice the bacon (and sausage if you are using) and brown. Once it is very brown, remove the meat and drain off about half the fat. Saute the onions and carrots in the hot fat. When they are soft, add the zucchini and cook for a few minutes. Add the cooked and mashed squash and mix everything up. Put the lid on and cook until the vegetables are all soft. Then add the cooked sausage and the cooked bacon and a little cream (just because I like to be excessive). When it is all combined, add the cooked pasta.

Even the kids ate this one. Thing 2 ate it with relish. He even put a zucchini into his own mouth-which he has never done before. He has eaten mashed and hidden veggies, but this was a veggie in plain sight and he fed himself! Thing 1 ate somewhat more reluctantly. But he did finish his dinner and ate all the little bits. And DH? He asked me to make this for his family. There is no greater compliment!

Thank to my good friend DP for making this recipe at a recent Halloween party. Leave it to me for adding bacon, sausage and cream. I might just be going to hell!