Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (approx. 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/3 cup of chopped shallots
1/2 cup of packed, freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of heavy cream (half & half or whipping cream would also work)
1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Milk or water as needed to thin the sauce

1. Cook your squash. The following is a suggested method if you don't already have a favorite way. Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the guts and seeds. Pour 1/4 cup of water into a pyrex or ceramic baking dish and place the butternut squash halves cut side down. Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the squash. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Scoop out the squash flesh from the skins. Puree' with a blender or use a fork to mash the squash into the desired consistency. I wanted a slightly thicker and chunkier sauce so I used a fork.

2. Pour the olive oil into a wide skillet on medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the butternut squash purée and cook for about a minute, mixing it in with the shallots. Add the cream, a tablespoon at a time, slowly stirring it in to incorporate and to avoid lumps. Stir in the Parmesan. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add milk or water (or chicken stock) to thin to the consistency you want. Take off heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Cover the pan to keep warm.

3. I used 1 lb. of pasta. If you like your pasta really saucy then you can use less pasta than 1 lb. When pasta is al dente, drain and plate. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with a little extra parsley and Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Steak Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves smashed or minced garlic
2 tablespoons steak seasoning (I used McCormicks Montreal Steak seasonings)

I also like to add a teaspoon or so of lemon pepper, a little fresh ground black pepper, and a third clove of garlic as well. For a good cut of steak like New York Strip steak only marinade for 2 to 4 hours as most marinades can make those cuts of steak tough. If you are using a tougher cut anyway like a London Broil, I like to marinade it all day or even overnight. As always, make sure your steak is room temperature before grilling and grill it on high heat with the grill open.