Keeping With The Times

living, learning, and keeping with the times

Pasta Sauce with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Butternut Squash

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This pasta sauce with roasted tomatoes and butternut squash is rich, creamy, and delicious, and sure to be a hit with your family.

It’s so simple, yet so delicious, that it astounds me! It’s one of my all-time favourites. All you need are a few fresh ingredients and a bit of time. A Sunday afternoon might be a good day to try this, as the longer this roasts, the richer it becomes.

Think tomatoes, onions, garlic, and Italian sausage … Mama Mia! Mangia Tutti!Tomato Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage, Keeping With the Times

Tomato Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage, Keeping With the Times, An easy go-to recipe for pasta sauce that takes its time.
A couple hours in … and we’re getting there:Tomato Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage, Keeping With the Times, An easy go-to recipe for pasta sauce that takes its time.
As this was roasting away in my oven, I stepped outside for something and then came back in. As I did, the aroma greeted me at the door and I felt like I was stepping into one of the finest Italian restaurants around.

Suddenly, I wanted to grab a glass of wine,put on “Gira Con Me” by Josh Groban and nibble on some crusty Italian bread ;)Wondering where to find the cutest pastas at an affordable price? Well, HomeSense is the place! Who knew! I’ve been able to find all kinds of Italian brands with different shapes, sizes, and colours. They also have great egg noodles!Tomato Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage, Keeping With the Times, An easy go-to recipe for pasta sauce that takes its time.

I urge you to give this a try!

Pasta Sauce with Roasted Tomatoes and Butternut Squash

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Pasta Sauce with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Butternut Squash
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
 
Ingredients
  • 8 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 4 Italian sausages, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
  • NOTE: I like to cut the sausages partially frozen as they keep their shape better
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Sprinkle of salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1-2 cups baked butternut squash (to be added to sauce later)
Instructions
  1. PREHEAT oven to 375F
  2. SPLIT open the butternut squash, remove seeds and pulp, arrange on cookie sheet, cover in foil, and place in oven to bake alongside the tomato mixture
  3. PLACE tomatoes, garlic, onion, sausages, olive oil, basil and salt and pepper in a large Dutch oven
  4. ROAST until the tomatoes, onions and sausages are lightly browned and smell a.ma.zing (I've found this can take 2 - 4 hours depending on your pot, your oven, and your tastes)
  5. REMOVE sausages from pot and set aside
  6. COOL tomato mixture slightly then in small batches, whirl in food processor (I use my Vitamix)
  7. SCOOP out butternut squash from skin and add to the last tomato batch and blend
  8. PLACE everything (including sausages) back in Dutch oven and reheat gently
  9. BRING a large pot of water to the boil, add your pasta of choice and cook until al dente. Drain, and rinse with hot water. I splash a tiny bit of olive oil on it to keep it from sticking
  10. PLACE pasta in individual serving dishes, top with the sauce and sprinkle with fresh basil if you like
Notes
Rich, sweet, and flavourful.

You might want to try some Homemade Ice Cream to finish off this wonderful meal.

Baked Beans and Rice Extraordinaire

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You really must try my Baked Beans Extraordinaire at least once, since it’s rich, smoky flavour is a fabulous alternative to chili.

This is a recipe I’ve adapted from a favourite old cookbook The Best of Bridge that I’ve had since 1981. My mother-in-law gifted it to me for Christmas that year and it is worn, tattered, yellowed and splattered, and both the front and back covers have fallen off. Oh how I love it.

For years whenever I’ve needed a foolproof dish for any occasion I’d pull out one of the “Best of Bridge” cookbooks, choose any recipe from main courses to desserts and we were never disappointed. Since 1981 I’ve gone on to collect over a dozen more of their publications!

I made my Baked Beans Extraordinaire this last weekend for family and we had it for dinner on the night of their arrival, and for lunch the next day. I proceeded to eat the leftovers all week, and what a blessing to be able to pull out a hearty and good-for-you meal that tastes as fresh as the day I made it, without having to cook.

Baked Beans Extraordinaire, Keeping With the TimesServed with rice or crusty buns piping hot from the oven, this is definitely one to have on your lineup of great meals.

*In response to a readers question regarding “smokies”:

Oh my goodness … you’ve really challenged me with this question León! In Canada they’re a smoked sausage. I prefer Harvest Meats Double Smoked Farmer’s Sausage. When I searched for something similar in the US, I couldn’t really find anything. All I can tell you is that the sausage is smoky, firm, and meaty. Not at all like a wiener. The original recipe calls for bacon, so I think the idea is to add a smoky flavour. I prefer the sausage because I find the bacon gets soggy.

And yes, you could make this in a slow cooker, I just find that my slow cooker is too small to hold it all.

And thanks to Melinda for this tip: try Hillshire Farms Lit’l Smokies

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Baked Beans Extraordinaire
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
 
Ingredients
  • 3 to 4 smokies (cooked, preferably on the barbecue) (the original recipe calls for bacon)
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp molasses
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/3 cup vinegar
  • 1 19 oz can tomatoes
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can pork and beans
  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt, pepper and tabasco sauce to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook smokies on barbecue until done. Cut into small cubes.
  2. In a large dutch oven, brown ground beef and onion.
  3. Add smokies and remaining ingredients to the pot.
  4. Place in oven and bake for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid for the last half hour if you like a drier and browner result.

Enjoy!