Picnic Friendly!

So I have a serious case of Summer fever - I'm skipping past Spring since here in Colorado that could very well mean snow in May. Summer is all about picnic and outdoor friendly lunches for all of us. I love impromptu picnics in our backyard and this recipe I found via A Little Yumminess would be perfect. You can make it ahead of time - another thing I like to do when it comes to lunches for Sofia so you can simply pull it out and go. I am a big fan of organic frozen butternut squash because its already cubed and its actually full of more nutrients since you know it was frozen at its peak of ripeness. So when it's season has past you can still enjoy the frozen version just make sure to buy organic with nothing added. Bon Appetit! xo Nicole

Penne with Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese

Ingredients

Vegetable oil or cooking spray
1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I used less)
1 onion, chopped in small dice
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions

1) Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2) Spray a lined baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

3) Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 20 to 25 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Turn squash pieces over and scatter onions around squash and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

4) Boil pasta per package directions. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce (easy mac & cheese?). Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.