butternut squash something or other, and bruschetta!

oy vey. that's my initial reaction to my week. i was at the chesapeake bay from friday til tuesday morning. shortly after arriving back in brooklyn i scooted off to work. then worked double on wednesday and my sister felicia arrived wednesday evening!! it was a very busy, very fun week, and my brain was fried from sun, booze, and lack of sleep. yet i still wanted to cook something really yummy for felicia. she had never had butternut squash, and i wanted her to love it as much as i do. i had no idea what i was going to do with it, but i bought that, mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pasta. also, i wanted onion but they weren't looking good so i got shallots instead.

i always forget that getting a squash prepped can be a bear, and not the good kind like winnie the pooh. i was struggling with it! when i'm working with the kids and drop something or a piece of food falls off a utensil i always make he joke "did you see that jump out of my hand!" or "i saw that pea just jump off your spoon!" i feel as though this squash was getting me back for falsely accusing those other veggies of leaping. it was some sort of veggie karma. i swear they really were jumping out of my hand. i could not stop dropping them. but i powered through and it was well worth it in the end.

Butternut Squash Thingy

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 shallots
• 1 carton mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves
• rosemary
• thyme
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• pasta

1. peel, seed, and chop your squash. way easier said done. i got so frustrated with this i ended up just repeatedly stabbing the squash in revenge. it was very un-cruelty free of me. you have to scrap this like you would scrap a pumpkin when prepping a jack-o-lantern. i couldn't even get it all out with a spoon so, i just ended up crudely cutting off those parts. i was ready to throw the darn thing off the williamsburg bridge. breahte. move on.
2. toss the cubed squash in a skillet with some oil on a medium heat. these are going to take the longest to cook. you can chop you other veggies while these begin cooking.
3. put your pasta water on. add a lttlel salt. this the only chance you get to season the pasta.
4. add rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. i love love love thyme so i add a lot. way more than the rosemary. but i do a hefty amount of each.
5. throw in your shrooms and shallots.
6. when pasta is cooked ans squash is tender add some of the pasta water to the squash mix.
7. drain you pasta, plate, and top with the squash whatever it is.

Bruschetta

• 1 loaf french bread
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 shallots or 1/2 small onion
• garlic
• olive oil

1. slice bread. place on cookie sheet.
2. drizzle olive oil over the tops. i must say i can now brush them with oil thanks to felicia. she bought me basting brushes!!!! and lots of other fun kitchen things! whoop! whoop! thanks sister!
3. chop tomatoes, garlic, shallot/onion. toss together.
4. top bread with a how ever much will fit on, and bake at 350 for about 10-15 mins. just until the bread is crispy.
5. serve it up!

with this final, picture filled, sunday post i am now off to celebrate the fact that "sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band" came out on tuesday (5/1) of last week in 1969 (that's for you dad!!) by listening to it while i clean my apartment. and then...then i nap. finally.