butternut squash mac and cheese

not as heavy as the original, but still good.

• 1 pound small ridged pasta like elbows

• 2 1/2 cups milk

• 12 ounces frozen/cooked/pureed/thawed squash, or fresh/diced

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

• 3/4 cup panko

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Cook pasta according to package directions. If using fresh squash, boil in leftover pasta water until falling apart.

Combine milk and squash in a medium pot and bring to a simmer - 5 minutes. If using fresh squash, combine in a blender or with an immersion blender. Remove from heat and add mustard, cayenne, salt, and cheese. Stir in pasta and transfer to a greased 9x13” baking dish.

Combine panko and parmesan, and sprinkle over pasta. Bake 30 minutes, and rest 5 minutes before serving.

baked ziti

classic comfort food.

• 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2-28 ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• 16 ounces ziti, penne, or other ridged pasta

• 15 ounces full fat ricotta cheese

• 2 tbs parsley, fresh if you have it

• 1 egg

• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (the real stuff)

About two hours before you want to eat: brown the sausage and onion in a large pot. Drain as much fat as you can. Saute the garlic for one minute. Add 1 tsp of Italian seasoning and the two cans of tomatoes plus half a can of water. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer. The sauce should reduce significantly.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Toss with the sauce, reserving 1 cup.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parsley, parmesan, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Preheat your oven to 375. Add the reserved cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish. Layer half of the pasta, all of the ricotta, and about half of the remaining sauce. Then layer the remaining pasta, the remaining sauce, the 1 cup of mozzarella, and 1 tsp of Italian seasoning.

Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbling.

chicken orzo bake

one-pan comfort food magic.

• 1 lb. diced chicken breast

• 1 tbs avocado oil

• 1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning

• 1/4 cup fresh basil or thyme (optional)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• zest and juice of one lemon

• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

• 1 Boursin cheese (I like the chive and shallot one)

• 6 oz frozen chopped spinach/kale

• 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup water

Preheat your oven to 400. Combine the chicken, oil, and seasonings in a 9x13” pan. Add the garlic, fresh herbs, lemon zest and juice, and sun-dried tomatoes and mix well.

Create a well in the center of the pan and add the Boursin cheese. Then, add in the spinach, orzo, broth, and water around the cheese and make sure all of the orzo is covered in the liquid.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until everything is cooked through. Mix well before serving.

springtime pasta

for when the weather has gotten just nice enough that you can eat on the deck.

• 1 lb. small pasta, cooked according to package directions and reserving 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 lb. asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces (can sub in peas, baby spinach, or broccoli!)

• 3 tbs butter

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 lemon

• 1/4 cup heavy cream/half-and-half

• salt, pepper, and parsley to taste

• parmesan to serve

place the asparagus/veggies in a large skillet with 1/2 inch of water. cover and boil for about two minutes until fork tender. drain asparagus and remove from heat.

in the same skillet over medium, add the butter and cook the shrimp. season with salt and pepper. when you flip the shrimp over, add the garlic and the asparagus back to the pot.

once everything is cooked through, combine the pasta and the butter/shrimp/asparagus. add heavy cream and pasta water to create a light, silky sauce. zest and juice the lemon. season with salt, pepper, and parsley to taste and serve with parmesan.