Warning: This recipe is super yummy, and high in calories. It is full of milk and butter and happiness, but should not be indulged in on a daily basis.
Friends, I’ve never been much of a “squash person” until my later, more refined years have set it. And still, there are certain ways it is prepared that I don’t particularly care for. For example, when it tastes like squash.
Ahem.
I have several children and a husband that don’t consider themselves “squash people” either, and loudly declared that they did not like the looks of this dish…
Until they took one bite and fell in love. Score.
*I originally made this recipe as a one pot meal – cooking the sauce and then adding the pasta to the same pot. Sounds great in theory, but penne takes a while to cook, and you can’t. stop. stiring. ever. or your sauce will scorch. So, I recommend preparing the pasta separate and adding it at the end. Just be sure to watch the thickness of your sauce, adding water as needed.
- 1 Box aprox. 16 oz Penne pasta or pasta of choice
- One large butternut squash or any type of squash! I actually used buttercup
- 4 TBSP Butter
- 2 TBSP Brown Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg or more to taste
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Medium sized onion diced
- 1 Cup vegetable or chicken stock or 1 cup water with 1 chicken bullion, which is what I used
- 2 Cups milk
- 1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 Cups water
- Cut squash into cubes
- Saute onion in butter and add squash
- Add vegetable or chicken stock
- Let simmer for 15 minutes
- Prepare Pasta in separate pot according to directions
- Stir and mash up squash until smooth
- Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper
- Add 2 cups milk
- Add Parmesan
- Mix well and stir continually
- Sauce will thicken as it simmers but must be stirred continually or it will scorch
- Add 1-2 cups water for desired thickness
- Drain pasta and mix together with sauce
- Sprinkle extra Parmesan on top and serve! Yum!
Glasses for the Manly Man
