200 RECIPES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

Another milestone is here

200 recipes!

So here it is!

The 200th recipe!

Doesn't it look absolutely delectable? 

Let me tell you this was pretty amazing and I'm so excited to share it with you as the

200th recipe!

Can you tell I'm excited?

So this hotdish (or as anyone outside of the state of MN calls it, casserole) is AMAZING!

I knew as soon as I read the part in the recipe about caramelizing the onions that this would be incredible,

I can't think of anything I like more than caramelized onions(other than maybe chocolate)...SO GOOD.

I chose to make my own squash puree (which was so simple), but you can also buy frozen.

I just figured that it is such an easy thing and I love to use my food processor, so it was a win-win for me. 

If you are making your own puree, remember you need to account for the time it will take to roast the squash in the oven, about an hour.

Besides that this is a pretty quick meal.

You could always make the puree the night before if you really don't have the time that night.  

However, that requires thinking ahead, which I am not good at, at all.

Anyway, hope you

ENJOY!

Baked Shells with Winter Squash

Butter for the baking dish

4 T olive oil

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

S&P

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 lb small pasta shells

1 package frozen winter squash puree, thawed (or homemade puree)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 slices crusty baguette, cut into 1/4 in cubes

Preheat oven to 400.  Butter a 9x13 in baking dish.  Heat 3 T oil in a large skillet over med-low heat.  Add onions; season with salt and pepper.  Cover; cook until the onions are soft and release their liquid, about 15 min.  Unocover; raise heat to medium.  Cook, stirring, until onions are browned, 20-25 min more.  Stir in 1 tsp rosemary.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions suggest.  Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.  Return the pasta to the pot.

Stir squash and reserved pasta water into the onions; simmer for 2 min.  Toss the squash mixture and 1/2 cup of parm with the pasta.  Transfer to the prepared dish.

Combining the bread cubes with the remaining parm, rosemary, and oil; season with salt and pepper.  Top the pasta with the bread cubes; bake until golden brown, 10-15 min.

Homemade Squash Puree

Roast whole winter squash (I used acorn) on a rimmed baking sheet, turning occasionally, until very tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour, depending on the size of the squash.  When cool enough to handle, halve the squash lengthwise and scrape the flesh into a food processor.  Discard the skin and seeds.  Puree until smooth, you will need 2 cups (from about 3/4 pound squash).  I added about 1/8 cup chicken stock, to make it easier to puree.  

Serves 6.

Paige Rating: ****