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Special Diet Information

Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Lactose
This recipe contains cheese and some of those who are lactose intolerant may be able to tolerate it.

Sodium
This is NOT a low sodium recipe.

GERD / Acid Reflux
This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.

Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten. Use gluten-free pasta in this dish.

"Take the obvious, add a cupful of brains, a generous pinch of imagination, a bucketful of courage and daring, stir well and bring to a boil."
-Barnard Baruch, Economist

The refrigerator light goes on...

Acorn squash means Fall to me. This is a great savory dish that’s warm and comforting for those cool fall evenings. Note that it uses only half of the acorn squash, leaving the other half for recipes or a fine lunch.

Alcohol in Recipes

A lot of my recipes use wine or other alcoholic beverages in them. With the cooking process most of the alcohol evaporates, but not completely.

Many people don't wish to use any alcohol and there are alternatives. There are good non-alcoholic wines on the market -- some made by the better California vineyards. One brand that is pretty easy to find is Fre and it is used by many chefs when they want to avoid alcohol. To replace rum or bourbon, you can use extracts that have similar flavors (although they do still have a tiny bit of alcohol in them).

Keep in mind that there's less than a half-teaspoon of alcohol in a tablespoon of wine. Alcohol evaporates faster than the water in the wine, but there will still be a little alcohol left after cooking.

The amount that remains depends on what is being cooked. A stew, such as beef bourguignon that cooks for a few hours, will have time for more of the alcohol to burn off. On the other hand, a dish that is rapidly cooked, such as chicken piccata, may have as much as 50% of the alcohol remaining. So you could be getting as much as 1/4 teaspoon of alcohol in a serving of chicken piccata made with white wine.

Penne with Roasted Acorn Squash

Servings = 2 | Serving size =2 ounces pasta with veggies

Cooking Time = 60 Minutes

This recipe can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

This recipe does not make very good leftovers.

	spray oil
1	acorn squash (halved and seeded)
3 quarts	water
4 ounces	whole wheat or gluten free penne pasta
2 tsp	olive oil
2	ribs celery (sliced crosswise)
1 large	shallot (peeled and sliced thinly)
2 Tbsp	pinenuts
1/8 tsp	salt
	fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup	white wine
1 ounce	arugula
3 ounces	smoked gouda cheese (shredded)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a large skillet lightly with oil. Place the acorn squash halves in the skillet, cut side down. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool in pan.

When the squash is cool cut 1/2 of it into large 3/4 inch cubes. (Put the other half in the fridge for another use.)

Place the water in a large sauce pan over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the penne pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, shallots and pinenuts. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat so that none of the ingredients brown, but cook gently.

When the pasta is done, drain, but reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the shallots and celery. Add the white wine, salt and pepper and toss well.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, tossing frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the pasta water 1/4 cup at a time to help create a sauce. (You may only need about 1/2 cup.)

Add the cubed squash and arugula. Cook for one minute. Add the smoked gouda and cook for about a minute until the cheese is melted. Serve.