What’s up, butternut? Y’all, we are just a few weeks away from Halloween, so it seems like the time is right to have this little talk.
Full Disclosure: I’m totally terrified of spiders. It’s real. And I’m sure I’m not alone. But they are EVERYWHERE with their creepy little giant sticky webs. Totally grody. I absolutely despise the nasty sticky webs.
Chris built me some raised garden beds for my birthday on the sunny side of our house. Unfortunately, a spider moved in and started building webs that connect the neighbor’s tree to my tomato plants. Not cool, creepy spider. Not cool at all.
Seriously, that dang spider built that web every single day. And every single day I walked through it. Every. Single. Day. No fail. You would think I’d learn? Remember? Nope. And let me tell you that when I walk through a spider web it ain’t pretty. There’s lots of screaming and cursing going on and it starts with OMG SPIDER! SPIDER! And I get more exercise in 12.73 seconds than I do in a week.
After that I’m less amused. It goes more along the lines of Mother %$*# and lots of crying about the spider webs in my hair. It also includes jumping around and begging Chris to make sure that there are no spiders in my hair or climbing up my back. It’s a hot mess. At least I’m a hot mess.
So the other day I was minding my own business, listening to the 80’s station on satellite radio, and driving to work. There it was. That nasty spider appeared out of nowhere IN MY CAR! It’s creepy little self was dangling on its web from the ceiling/roof in front of my horrified eyes. It was getting lower and lower – closer and closer. Obviously I was a danger to myself and others, so I had to pull over. It wasn’t pretty.
If you happened to be driving in Charlotte last week and saw a lunatic in a black suit and heels jump out of her car and run like the devil himself was chasing her….
I don’t know anything about that.
What I do know is that my spider fear has absolutely nothing to do with Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrot Pasta. That should come as no surprise to you if you have been visiting this site for more than 5 minutes.
Happy Monday, y’all!
Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrot Pasta
Ingredients
For the Butternut
- 2 small butternut squash
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
For the Pasta and Sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 4-6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock - or vegetable stock
- 2 cups butternut
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 4 carrots peeled and biased sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
- Parsley and parmesan to garnish
- 5 carrots peeled and sliced on the bias in 1 inch pieces
- 1 pound Rotini or favorite pasta
- parmesan and parsley to garnish optional
Instructions
For the Butternut
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Preheat oven to 425
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Cut butternut crosswise where skinny part meets fat part
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Slice off ends
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Halve lengthwise, remove seeds
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Coat with olive oil and place cut side down on parchment paper lined baking sheet
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Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size
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Let cool to be able to touch, remove peel
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Heat butter in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat, cook until brown bits appear and it smells nutty and fragrant, about 3 minutes
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Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
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Beat until combined, pour in browned butter and mix until smooth and combined
For the Pasta and Sauce
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Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
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Add onions and cook 1-2 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant and translucent
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Add wine, sage, thyme, allspice and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes
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Add butternut mixture and chicken or vegetable stock, stir until well combined
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Add heavy cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and white pepper and let cook and reduce until it's a thick sauce, 10-12 minutes
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Meanwhile, bring a pasta pot of water to boil
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Toss in a hand full of salt
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Add Pasta, stir
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Using the extra steaming basket, add carrots and cook until almost the texture you like, I did about 8 minutes
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Drain the carrots into a colandar, pull pasta basket out of the pot and drain, pour pasta water over the carrots
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Combine pasta, carrots, and sauce, garnish with parsley and parmesan
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Serve immediately
Just the thought of spiders creeps me out. You know what doesn’t creep me out? Butternut squash in pasta – that sounds amazing and something I will be trying very soon!
Spiders are yucky!
What a delicious pasta, Rachelle! I love all of the fall flavors in here. Sounds just perfect with the carrots and squash!
Thanks Gayle!
Oh my gawd, girlfriend! I HEAR YOU! I hate hate hate spiders and I’m totally afraid of them! NO ONE told me NC was filled with them!!! Like ever. Or I may have questioned moving here! Our basement is unfinished (for now), and I have been storing unpacked boxes down there. The other day, I went down there and the back wall was COVERED with them. Needless to say, I left the house screaming and decided that was the day I would run errands for 8 hours until Boy got home to spray them all. ICK! And I have had one in my car while driving too, NOT COOL! Anyways, love this pasta. AND I LOVE butternut squash.. so much that my post today contains it too! Great minds- we fear the spider and devour the butternut! 😉 Cheers, Rachelle! Xo
Yikes! I would have totally evacuated too! Cheers to great minds and no spiders, soul sister! Xo
Okay! I can so relate! I’m dying over here for you…I get it I get it! I too have a spider story that I just may have to share one day, but I’m afraid I’ll scare you. Let’s just say a mama got busy in the Christmas tree one year and we woke to not only gifts under the tree…I will leave it at that! Thank you for sharing this cozy and delicious pasta dish – I feel better. 🙂
OMG! I’m scared just thinking about mama spider in the Christmas tree! That sounds like something from a horror movie! 🙂
Omg I am terrified of spiders and big bugs that fly! They are the biggest reasons I don’t love my garden as much. I would have had a heart attack if I saw one in my car too! The only thing that would calm me down is if I had a big ol’ plate of this fall goodness in front of me! Love all the butternut squash and carrots!
Spiders are the worst, Kelly! Yuck! OMG! And big flying bugs? No thanks!
Hahahaha! Thank you for that laugh out loud moment! I’m so glad you didn’t crash. I totally get it too. I’m arachnnophobic right there with you girlfriend. I screamed, loudly, at my last tennis match when I went to pick up the ball and a spider the size of a half dollar started crawling toward me. I screamed and ran and made a fool of myself. I made my partner take care of it because I wasn’t going back there to serve for fear it would crawl on my foot. Our opponents and the teams on either side of us thought I was cray-cray. And that pasta looks delicious!
I’m glad I did’t crash too! OMG! I would totally not pick up that tennis ball! I’m so glad to have a friend in crazy-land afraid of spiders!
I hate spiders. Totally and completely! I think you might take comfort food to a whole new level with this pasta dish, Rachelle. Comfort from the cold, but also from the fear of spiders lurking around each corner!
Thanks Erin! Spiders are the worst!
Lovely photos! This pasta looks sooo creamy and delicious but has such unique flavors, which is awesome because I definitely get stuck in pasta ruts 🙂 Pinning!
Thanks so much, Medha!
gawd, I absolutely hate spiders. Lived in an apartment before so had no encounters with them but ever since we bought our own house 4 months ago, the spiders just don’t seem to leave us! They keep making webs on my window, urgh and when I go for my morning walk, I see webs all around, from one tree to another! 😐 Anyway I love this pasta Rachelle, I think only this can bring some sunshine to my spider days!
Those webs are so gross, Manali! I started carrying a hoe in to my garden so I could knock them down!
OMG! At what time will that spider just find a new place to live? And in the car!!! That is nothing but a nightmare. You try to keep your eyes on the road and on the spider all at the same time! Whew!!! Now I need to relax a bit with this pasta! It looks beautiful and perfect for fall!
It was truly horrifying, Kathy! LOL 🙂 Thanks for your kind words!
HAHA! I was literally cracking up about your spider story. I am also terrified of them. I will seriously run out of a room and beg my husband to please take care of it. And wouldn’t you know it, since moving to CA there are spiders everywhere! In fact, it’s the most predominate critter we find in our house. One of the first few nights in our new home, I got into bed, and a giant, thick, black spider came darting out from under the covers!!! Eww…. it’s giving me the creeps just thinking about it! I haven’t looked at my bed quite the same way since.
Anyway, I’m going to continue drooling over and sharing this incredible dish to keep thoughts of spiders away 😉
OMG! I’m never moving to CA if it’s the spider capital! I totally got the chills thinking about a big black spider in your bed! Yikes! At least he had to decency to leave – rather then you find him crawling up your leg!!!! That would have been HORRIBLE!!!
That spider is stalking your ass!! I swear I will brush down spider webs outside the back sliding door and the very next morning, I let the dogs out and run right into a brand new larger web!! Hate walking into spider webs. I don’t hate this recipe though and will have to try it with my next CSA butternut squash.
OMG! The little buggers just keep coming back! 🙂 It’s no fun being stalked by a spider and walking into the web is the WORST! Gross!
I’m sorry, girl, but I’m laughing a lot right now. The visual image of you hurtling out of your car in your suit is just too much.
BTW, we’re on the same wavelength. We both posted about bugs on Monday!
Hope the spiders are leaving you alone so you can eat amazing pasta. It really does look so good!
I would totally laugh at me too! I hope you got rid of the ants!
What a stunning looking pasta, Rachelle! Loving all of the fall-ish and delish flavors in this particular dish. Carrots and squash are just awesome together.
Thanks Anu!
Mmm! I love a good Fall salad! And your spider story is just too funny! I would be the same way, though 😉 Thanks for sharing and for the good laugh! 😀
Thanks Kennedy!
Loving all that creamy sauce, and this is such a perfect fall recipe!
Thanks so much, Katalina!
I absolutely hate spiders… Love the story girl! This pasta looks gorgeous! Just got butternut squash today and can’t wait to cook it tomorrow!
Thanks Mira! Spiders are NASTY!
Hahaha that’s the most hilarious story I’ve heard all week!! I am picturing you stopping the car and racing out lol. I don’t mind spiders but snakes do that for me. I’ll be out of the car in 2.3 seconds if it was a snake lol
OMG! If there was a snake in my car I’d die of a heart attack before I was able to run! What you are picturing is probably exactly how it happened! 🙂
That spider is seriously psycho! I can’t believe it made it into your car and surprised you like that…gah! Scaryyy! In any case, hope it leaves you alone, long enough to make more delicious pasta recipes like this one!
I know, right?!?!! Creepy spider! Yuck!
Woah what a great fall recipe!
Thanks so much Shikha!