Squash, The Perfect Fall Food

At last Saturday night's party, there were some really tasty dishes served.  My favorite appetizer was a toasted flat bread with caramelized onions, cheese, and basil.  Becky offered the personal choice of Parmesan, goat, or blue cheese. 

The onions were really amazing, and here is a picture of the goat cheese option:

Suzie must have said something hilariously funny, or I was really enjoying my Whipped Cream Vodka & grape soda: 

By far the highlight of the show was this wonderfully tasty course, which I actually made for dinner last night, it was that good.  If you like butternut squash, I recommend this dish:

Here is the recipe.

Ravioli w/Pesto, Squash & Sage:

12 oz. large cheese ravioli
1 cup butternut squash (1/2 inch cubes)
1/4 cup pesto sauce
1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
16 sage leaves (julienne cut)
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

If your nuts aren't toasted, put the walnuts in the oven on broil, for about 3-4 minutes and be very careful not to forget them. If you can smell the toasty-ness, they are done-approaching-burned. You can also microwave them for 30 seconds at a time, but also be very careful.  It's easy to over-toast nuts.

Parboil the squash in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes.  Save boiling water for cooking ravioli's.

In nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat.  Add squash, salt & pepper.  Cook and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes (or until it looks nice and light toasty brown).  Meanwhile, get your ravioli's cooking in the boiling water (use directions on package).  Toss the squash with the pesto in your serving bowl (keep in the warm oven).

Add another Tbsp of olive oil to the medium heat skillet, and cook the sage leaves until crisp (less than a minute).

Toss the squash, pesto sauce (pre-warming this is a good idea), raviolis, walnuts, and sage leaves.  Sprinkle with Parmesan, and Viola!  You've got the perfect fall dish. 

You could save a step and cook the sage in the last minute of cooking the squash, but it wont be as crispy.

It was hard to keep everything warm, but it helped to keep my covered serving dish in the warm oven (from toasting my nuts) and add stuff as I had it ready, then toss it all together.  Todd wasn't crazy about it, but he's not into meatless dishes or butternut squash.  He put a couple of pieces of bacon on his.  He will make up for the lack of meat last night with the slab of ribs we have seasoned up for tonight.  Super YEA for Rrrrrrrrrribs!!!

Tomorrow, I promise I'll upload pics of the new furry family members.  This place is a zoo!