Decompression

Aaron and I invited Joe and Phyllis over for dinner.  The guys
were ready to decompress after their week of intense study
during their school.  For dinner, I made the following recipe.  We also enjoyed a delicious salad and pumpkin pie courtesy of Phyllis.

Following dinner, we played a riveting game of Sequence.  Us girls started with a two game lead but lost it in the end.  Grrr!

Penne with Butternut Squash and 
Goat CheeseRecipe
courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
• 1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves (see Cook's Note)
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions:

Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

Cook's Note: 

I was unable to find basil so I substituted with a medley of fresh herbs: oregano, marjoram, rosemary and thyme.  I also substituted pecans for walnuts.

To toast the walnuts (pecans), arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes Cool completely before using.