My first squash of the season

Over the years, I have really turned into a crazy squash eater. I am a little obsessed with winter squash. They are the main reason why my market basket is soooo heavy in the Fall.

Growing up, I do remember having the occasional acorn squash puree with brown sugar, but that's about it. Winter squash is an incredibly versatile vegetable. You can roast it, puree it and use it in soups or as a pasta sauce, simmer it in stews, or use it in quick breads or desserts.

Granted, they look a little intimidating to deal with. A little technique, patience, and a sharp peeler and heavy knife, and I promise you'll be good to go. Also, winter squash is a great source of vitamins A & C, fiber, magnesium and potassium, not to mention sweet and delicious.

To prepare my butternut squash for dinner last night, I peeled it, then chopped off the slender part, cubed that, then cut the bottom bulb in half, scooped out the seeds and cubed that up- all under the watchful eye of Mischa.

I've been told that if you microwave it for 15-30 seconds or so, it loosens the skin and makes it easier to peel. Unfortunately, I always seem to remember this trick halfway when I've peeled the squash. So, I've never done that, but maybe someday I'll remember too.

Here is one of my standby recipes for squash- and one that has converted a couple of co-workers to eating squash. It's a great recipe to experiment with- feel free to swap out the pasta for a different shape or type. I have used shallots & sweet onions and last night I used a leek. For seasoning, I add herbes de Provence instead of the sage. Some crumbles of goat cheese would be nice, but it's also good without the cheese. Got some crumbled bacon or pancetta- why not?

Enjoy- this makes a great lunch dish to take to work.

Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Shallots

3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise (about 1/2 pound)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
4 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta) or fettuccine
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 475°.

Combine the squash, sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons oil, salt, pepper, and shallots in a jelly roll pan; toss well. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sage.

While the squash mixture bakes, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place cooked pasta in a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons oil; toss well. Serve the squash mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup pasta, 3/4 cup squash mixture, and 1 tablespoon cheese)CALORIES 248 (29% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 2g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 137mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.4g; SODIUM 713mg; PROTEIN 7.1g; FIBER 5.2g Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2001