Can't believe it's been almost a year!

Yep! It's been almost a year since my last post. Gosh, I need to get crackin'! I have so many pictures and recipes to blog about, but just no time. Well, either that, or I need to manage my time a lot better. Hopefully soon, I will figure out what the exact reason is.

What I do know, though, is that this year I have decided to play, I mean cook, with ingredients that I haven't used before. One of those ingredients is the butternut squash! I've seen many recipes using this beautiful orange fruit - yes it is a fruit, not a vegetable-, but have always felt intimidated by how it looks. The mature butternut squash has an hour-glass figure and weighs more than a pound. The fruit gains sweetness and a deeper color as it ages. It is high in antioxidants and contains high levels of vitamin C as well as other minerals. It is an excellent substitute for potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Now that we know that little tid-bit of information, on to the recipe:

Rigatoni with Butternut Squash Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 big cloves of garlic - peeled and chopped

1 pound of butternut squash - peeled (see note) and cut into about 1 inch cubes

1 cup vegetable stock

Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

1/2 cup of whole milk

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Parmesan cheese to serve

1 box of rigatoni - cooked al dente according to package directions

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a wide pan.

2. Add chopped garlic and saute for a few seconds.

3. Add the cubed squash, salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste and cook for about five minutes.

4. Add the vegetable stock and cook until the squash is completely cooked, about 7 minutes.

5. Let cool for 5 minutes.

6. Puree the squash mixture in the blender or food processor until smooth.

7. Add the sauce back to the pan. Add milk and stir until combined.

8. Add cooked pasta and mix. Adjust seasoning if needed.

9. Serve topped with chopped basil and shredded parmesan cheese.

Verdict:

I thought the dish looked divine, but my daughter was not impressed with yellow-sauce pasta. That is until she tasted it. She had seconds. And asked for the leftovers for lunch the next day. Now, that for me, is a big compliment :)

Note:

Butternut squash is a hard fruit to peel. A dear friend of mine suggested I poke some holes in it and microwave for a few minutes. This makes it easier to peel. I will definitely use this trick the next time. Should've asked her before I almost peeled my fingers off!! And, make sure you use a good and sharp potato peeler. Hope you enjoy!