Penne with Butternut Squash & Kale

 Recipe Courtesy of Rikki Snyder Photography

Roasted Butternut Squash
-1 extra-large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
-2 tbsp. olive oil
-sea salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide squash onto 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until tender.

Caramelized Onions
-2 tbsp. olive oil
-3 large onions, thinly sliced
-sea salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until completely caramelized, stirring occasionally at first and more often as onions begin to brown. Depending on your stove, this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Season with freshly ground pepper.

Penne with Butternut Squash & Kale
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 bunch kale, stem removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
-1/3 c. white wine
-8 oz. whole-wheat penne, cooked according to package (but really, any kind of pasta you want to use is fine)
-1/2 roasted butternut squash
-1/2 caramelized onions
-sea salt & pepper to taste
-shaved Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (to taste--I'm a big fan of cheese, so I used about an ounce on my serving)

Heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add kale and saute 1 minute, then add wine to skillet. Continue to cook until kale has wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in penne, squash, and onions; cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve with shaved cheese.