A Recipe Worth Trying

It's quick. It's super easy. It epitomizes Fall. And it's SO very delish! It's (*dundundun*) Butternut Squash Pasta! It is a recipe most definitely worth trying, so I'm going to share it here. I've adapted this particular recipe from http://thefrontierkitchen.com/ just to liven the flavors up a bit. Because lively food is what I'm all about. :)

Butternut Squash Pasta Amazingness:

Serves 4
~1 lb. pasta, preferably whole wheat (whole wheat penne worked GREAT for this!)
~2 cups roasted butternut squash (cut squash in half, place cut-side up on baking sheet. Drizzle w/ EVOO and sprinkle w/ salt and pepper. Roast in 350F oven for like 45-60min., until knife easily inserts into the flesh.)
~1 pint heavy cream (yes, you are required to use cream. Trust me, it's for your own good.)
~1/2 c. (or more!) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (and I like to throw in a few Tbsps of whatever other cheese I might have on hand, such as Cheddar or Jack. Makes things a little creamier and, of course, cheesier!)
~4 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
~1-2 cloves minced garlic
~sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine squash, cream, Parm/cheese, garlic, and 2 Tbsp. of the basil. Blend until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain cooked pasta. Toss butternut squash sauce with pasta. Heat through. Garnish with remaining basil. Extra delish if you throw some grilled chicken and extra cheese on top!

SO easy, as you can see! Makes a great big batch, is SUPER hearty, and totally makes eating squash the best experience you'll ever have. Next time I make this, I might have to get a little rediculous and serve the butternut squash sauce over spaghetti squash. Look out!

I'm always on the look-out for quick and yummy Fall recipes. Feel free to share!

*~If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. —J. R. R. Tolkien~*

This summer has been a time of much self-evaluation and home-life evaluation for me. I haven't known what to blog about, because I haven't come to any "conclusions" or points I felt were worth sharing. Basically, God has been bringing many small challenges to the forefront of my life lately, and I haven't really known how to best respond, cope, or even interpret these challenges. My faith feels strange to me and distant. My calling feels unclear and unrealistic. My resources seem few and fleeting. My patience feels spent and unattainable. Besides being completely humbled and broken by my weaknesses, I've felt my spirit lifted by some amount of focus. My focus has centered around (big shocker) intentionality. It is about what I can control in my life right now in a healthy, Christ-centered way. So, to better expand the ministry Cam and I strive to exhibit through our life together, I began developing an arsenal. An arsenal of "good eats" for various occasions so as to reduce pre-planning in a pinch, reduce stress, and allow for personal interaction rather than hurried kitchen time with friends and family.

I feel more controlled, at ease, and capable of spontaneity with my army of deliciousness in place. When a family's in need of a meal, without hesitation I have a few good, portable, hearty ideas. When an unexpected guest pops in, I can offer a nutritious, down-home spread. When life gets ahead of us, I work late, or dinner is simply forgotten, I can reach for a homemade freezer meal instead of eating out. I wish I could be more adventuresome with food all the time. I wish I could spend hours each day and hundreds of dollars trying new techniques and recipes. But since circumstances don't allow for such indulgence, I've instead enjoyed the process of whittling down my masses of recipes into the most practical, tactical, cost-effective infantry I can muster:

Meals for Others~
Beef BBQ
Sausage and Cream Sauce
Baked Ziti

In-A-Pinch Foods~
Spaghetti of any kind
Bfast for dinner - eggs w/ veggies and toast
Rice and beans
Stir-fry w/ shrimp

Freezer Foods~
Carnitas meat
Pizza Rolls
Pancakes/Waffles/Muffins
Chili
Soups
Burritos
Some of the meals from the above catagories also work


This simple redoing of my food mentality hasn't fixed any of my immediate "problems," but it has gone a long way remove some stress from my life. It's just one baby step. I'm a little further in my journey. So, little by little, one travels far.

*~Well, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart

Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something
I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees

And this Salvation Army band
Is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin

You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace*~