Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion

Olive oil

Low sodium chicken broth

1 butternut squash

Cream/milk (optional) 

Salt

Pepper

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Directions:

Peel and deseed butternut squash and cut into .5-1 inch cubes

Sautée onion in olive oil in big soup pot until onion is see through

Pour six cups of broth into the pot and let simmer

Add in cubes of squash and let cook in the broth until soft

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth

Depending on how healthy you want it, you can add a little skim milk or half and half or cream to the soup at this point. Sometimes the soup is so good I don't add any!

Season to taste with salt pepper nutmeg and cinnamon. 

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Ingredients:
1 Box Barilla Plus Penne (multigrain)
1 Large Buttnernut Squash
1 Small Onion, minced
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil for sauce, another 3 for roasting the squash
1/2 cup grated Locatelli (or parmesan)
3/4 cup - 1 cup (depending on taste) good aged Gruyere (more aged, stronger)
about 2 dozen Sage Leaves, chopped roughly
2 cups milk (I used skim milk) (warmed)
1 cup of Chicken Stock (warmed)
Salt and Pepper
Nutmeg
3 Tablespoons flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel and de-seed the Butternut Squash and then cut into .5-1 inch cubes. Toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil on cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake until softened - approximately 45 minutes - tossing once halfway through.
Prepare salted water to boil the pasta.
Using a large sauce pan, heat 3 table spoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook sage until crispy, 30-60 seconds. Remove 3/4 of sage and set aside for garnish. Add onions and sautee until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes (on low heat as not to burn butter). Add flour and whisk into butter. Cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth and whisk. Slowly add milk and continue whisking. When thick add 1/4 cup Locatelli and 3/4 cup Gruyere. Whisk. Add salt, pepper, approximately 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir until smooth. Add in the squash. mix.
When pasta is done, strain and put in large bowl. Pour mixture over pasta. Garnish with the rest of the Locatelli and Sage leaves.
Makes 4-6 hardy servings.