Chipotle Pasta Bake with Curried Acorn Squash

A perfect example of a Mommy’s Medley square meal.  

Roasted curried acorn squash, chipotle tomato pasta bake, and a mixed greens salad.  

Start with your acorn squash, this way the squash has time to bake while you prep and bake the pasta.  This particular squash is out of my garden.  

Cut 1 acorn squash in half, scoop out the innards, and place in a square glass baking dish.  

Fill the inside of the of squash with whatever spices you like and 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine per squash half.  I used Smart Balance margarine and powdered curry as my fillings.  Add about an inch of water to the bottom of the pan.  Bake in a 425 oven for 35 to 40 minutes or til soft.  

For the pasta bake, start by boiling a 16 oz box of pasta.  Cook according to the directions on the package.  I used whole wheat rotini this time around. 

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, saute 1/2 of a diced yellow onion, and 1 diced green bell pepper in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes or til soft.  

For the sauce, mix 12 oz of tomato sauce, 1 cup of milk, 3 oz of tomato paste (about 1/2 the can), 2 cloves of minced garlic, and fresh ground pepper, to taste.  

Drain the cooked pasta and place in a large oven safe baking dish. Add the sauce mixture, mix well.  Slice grape tomatoes in half – I used a half a carton and add to the pasta mixture.  

For a little extra spice, I added 3 chipotle peppers.  These babies pack an amazing amount of hot smoky flavor in a small amount of pepper.  

Slice up 3 chipotle peppers and add to pasta mixture.  I also added some of the adobo sauce drippings from the can, for extra measure.  We like our food spicy in the Mommy Medley household!  

Add a light shredding of cheddar cheese on top.  

Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees, uncovered.  This pasta dish is a wonderful mix of cheesy, tomato goodness and the smoky chipotle goodness.  This one’s a keeper around here.

If you time things right, your squash and pasta will be done simultaneously.  Sadly, I think this squash was picked a little early.  It was soft and fleshy like an acorn squash should be, but it lacked the proper flavor.  Oh well, we have two to three more growing now, hopefully the next ones will taste better.  

Are any of you starting to see the food trends in my household?

1. Cut 1 acorn squash in half, scoop out the innards, and place in a square glass baking dish.  

2. Fill the inside of the of squash with spices, such as curry or pepper and 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine per squash half.  Add about an inch of water to the bottom of the pan.  

3. Bake in a 425 oven for 35 to 40 minutes or til soft.  Test with a fork. 

1. Boil 16 oz box of pasta.  Cook according to the directions on the package.