So this WAS going to be the next "Deliciousness of the Day..."

But alas- The goat cheese fooled me! 
you probably figured that out if you follow me on twitter...


I saw Giada make this pasta on her show, Giada at home one day when I was running on the treadmill. The idea of it was fantastic, butternut squash and onions with penne and goat cheese. 


Here's the thing- I had only had goat cheese once before at the farmers market. I'm thinking that it was much milder than what the grocery sells. It looked creamy and delicious on the show, so I got all of the stuff and attempted it. 


I even began taking pictures for this post! 

Example A. 

Example B.


Do you know how hard it is to crack open a butternut squash when you've never attempted it before? It took me probably a half and hour to get that guy apart. Oh well, the squash and onions turned out delicious. 


It was the goat cheese that killed it for me! The scent and taste will forever haunt my senses! I don't know if I had just picked out the wrong kind? But it was horrible. The rind had a greenish tinge and was just all sorts of wrong. 


Cheese connoisseurs- Help! Did I pick out the wrong kind of goat cheese? Or am I just not a fan? 


If you DO like goat cheese, here is the recipe. I'm thinking of some other creamy cheeses that I could substitute.. I rescued the squash and want to put it to use! 


Whatcha Need: 

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted 
• 1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

How to do it:

Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.


P.S -


I just posted my first blog post on Just Cook Already, a food focused blog. If your interested in Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes... come check it out!! :)