Spaghetti

One of the girls' favorite meals is spaghetti with butternut squash sauce. We had this about a week before their birthday, and here are some photos of them enjoying it! (What would babyhood memories be without some spaghetti photos?) They love to suck up the long noodles and much prefer this as a finger-food. While we did have to strip and bathe them after the meal (they stuck their hands in their hair--we're working on that one!), I'm glad we weren't dealing with tomato sauce.

Lydia stuffing her face

Abby mastered the noodle-slurp first

I think this was a version of "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!"--in which the girls raise their hands for the "praise the Lord" part. Josiah likes to start this game quite often by hollering out, "Hallelujah!" and waiting for the girls to throw their hands in the air.

The girls eat impressive quantities of this butternut squash pasta every time I make it, but we all enjoy it. For anyone who wants the recipe (Mom, you asked for it a few weeks ago), here you go (I modified it from this recipe: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/creamy-butternut-squash-pasta/):

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, halved and roasted

1.5-2.5 c. chicken broth

3-4 cloves garlic

1 T. fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 t. dried)

1/2 med. onion

2 T. butter or olive oil for sauteing 

1/4 c. heavy cream (optional)

1/4-1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese (not the stuff in the can), plus extra for serving

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. spaghetti (I use whole wheat and don't notice a difference in this recipe), cooked and drained

To cook squash: cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and pulp, and bake cut-side down on foil-covered baking sheet (I usually lightly grease it) till soft (about 45 min.-1 hr. at 375 F).

When it's cooled, scoop the squash's flesh out and puree with enough chicken broth in blender to reach a smooth, thick consistency. 

Boil water and cook pasta.

Meanwhile, saute onions in butter or olive oil till translucent. Add minced or crushed garlic cloves. Cook a little longer (till onions are lightly browned), and then add the squash puree. Heat through and add oregano, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Cook till cheese is melted and incorporated. Add cream (and extra broth if needed to thin sauce). Drain cooked spaghetti and add to sauce. Stir together and serve with extra parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top.