Butternut Squash and Parsnip Pasta

Made a pasta dish tonight, it rocked the house! I had a butternut squash (from Jessi's parents' garden) and was looking for a new, creative way to prepare it. I found this recipe that included some parsnips (which I don't believe I had ever had), spices and onion (then I threw in the chicken sausage for some protein). This turned out really well and was the highlight of the night for sure. We served it with some steamed spinach mixed with walnuts and lemon juice and a couple of slices of bruschetta (chopped tomato, fresh basil, a little olive oil, garlic powder, and oregano - bake for ~ 15 mins).

Yield:4 servings (serving size: 2 cups, but would be a great one to double and freeze half)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 8 oz chicken sausage (already cooked)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 cup chopped parsnip
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk (we used skim and it turned out delicious)
  

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add squash and parsnip; sauté 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in sage, parsley, nutmeg, allspice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; remove from heat.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Combine squash mixture, pasta, and 1/4 cup cheese in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, tossing gently to combine.
4. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add milk; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add reserved cooking liquid; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
5. Pour milk mixture over pasta mixture; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.