Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta | WW 5 pts

This was good, but I love butternut squash. I didn't have fresh thyme, so I substituted fresh rosemary and it was great. The recipe calls for 8 oz of pasta, use this amount, don't use more or there won't be enough sauce and the pasta will be dry...yuck. Also, this dish is best on the first day, it doesn't work well for leftovers. CB had about three servings of it because he liked it that much. I had one and a half servings equalling about 7 points.

Also, if you're not on WW, this recipe can be easily made into a heartier version using full fat ingredients and more sauce. I liked it this way though, it hit the spot.

I won't be posting for a few days...just a lot going on with a wedding this weekend and then work occupying every freaking waking minute from Sunday until Wednesday. I know I should be happy to have a job, especially with the whole economy and financial market eating a shit sandwich right now, but man, can a girl get a whole weekend to herself...and maybe a few of her nights off too.

Just asking.

So, the recipe....I've yet to make any of the muffins or cookies, hopefully I'll have time to do that next week. I'll try to throw some rogue recipe posts in between now and next Thursday, but no promises.

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta

Weight Watchers

2 sprays cooking spray
20 oz butternut squash, fresh, peeled and cubed*
1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne
1 1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
2 Tbsp white all-purpose flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, chopped, divided - I USED ROSEMARY AND IT WAS GREAT!
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. After squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mashed squash and 2 1/2 teaspoons of thyme. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat.

Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish; dot with spoonfuls of ricotta and then sprinkle with Parmesan and walnuts. Bake until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.

Rating = Damn Good (the first day, really sucky as leftovers)