I should say that comfort food is universal and year-round. There are comfort foods I crave more in the fall and winter. Things like buttered popcorn, homemade soup and vegetable-laden pasta dishes. I know that people are enjoying our strange December weather of 50 degrees, but to me, that’s still cold. The sun isn’t shining and the birds aren’t singing. Instead, it’s this strange and heavy 50 degrees. I may not be freezing but I still need a jacket. I may not be frostbitten, but I’m dreaming of spring. I decided to take my Sunday morning to shop for ingredients and make a comfort meal for Sunday night dinner.
No one in my family has problems with gluten, but we almost always use gluten free pasta. Why? It makes us feel less full after we eat. Also, I’m intrigued by its texture and with the challenge of making pasta favorites gluten free and seeing how the tastes come together. We had a very eventful weekend. On Friday night, Scarlet was a reindeer in our local ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” On Saturday night, we were gifted tickets to Connecticut’s North Pole Express train ride. Yesterday, Cassidy was sick so I took the kids to our park’s Santa’s Trains event with Santa, treats and an outdoor train ride.
When we got home, we were pretty tired and still had to do dinner and baths before bedtime. Luckily I had thought of the most perfect meal. It’s so easy to create a healthy and even quick meal with Barilla Gluten Free Pasta, and it will always be something everyone will enjoy in my house. I had bought the pasta four-pack at BJ’s Wholesale Club on Saturday, knowing I’d want to make a few pasta dishes over the next few days or weeks. I got all my fresh ingredients on Sunday morning.
Barilla Gluten Free Pasta has a delicious taste and texture, and tastes just like regular pasta but is made with corn and rice. The ingredients are NON-GMO and are certified Gluten Free. The pasta is also produced on dedicated gluten free production lines. There seem to be many issues around gluten these days, and it’s nice that with Barilla Gluten Free, you don’t have to worry about what you’re serving your holiday guests. It’s also a great pasta to use for potluck dishes.
So for my recipe, I knew I wanted to use butternut squash because it’s just something I crave from October through January. Butternut squash is absolutely beautiful to use, and is so versatile in pasta recipes. I also used kale, because believe it or not, Des likes kale. He eats it at daycare and I’m convinced he goes to the best daycare in the world. Kale was public enemy #1 for me when I was pregnant with Scarlet, but I’m happy to say I got over that and I find it really awesome for this recipe. The recipe calls for kale to be chopped to bite size and with all the other flavors involved in the dish, even Scarlet tried it.
Ingredients
- 4½ cups water
- 1 package of your favorite chicken apple sausage
- 12 ounce box of Barilla Gluten Free Penne
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash, chopped into ¼-inch cubes
- 2 cups of kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1½ tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup fresh parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the water to a stock pot or large, deep sauté pan.
- Add the penne, garlic, butternut squash, kale, thyme, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sausage too - quantity is optional to your tastes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon (ingredients may stick to the pan without frequent stirring).
- Cook until the pasta is al dente and nearly all of the water is absorbed. You can hot more hot water, about 1/4-1/2 a cup at a time if the water is absorbed and the pasta doesn't seem ready.
- Remove pasta dish from heat, add 3 more tablespoons olive oil, and stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add parmesan cheese. Yum!
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This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, Barilla®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #GlutenFreeBarilla http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
Pasta lover here and so with you on Barilla’s Gluten-free pastas. Definitely going to try your skillet recipe as it looks so yummy and easy to make. So thanks, Tamara!!! 😉
It was surprisingly easy! I am about to fix myself some leftovers for lunch. Yum.
My family and I also don’t have gluten issues so I never thought to get these products. But like you said, maybe it’s worth a shot and check it out! And that recipe is right up my alley Tamara!
It’s so good! Someone suggested substituting mushrooms for sausage for vegetarian options and I have to say – that delighted me too. Any way you make it, it’s up my alley.
We don’t have any gluten problems in our home but we only use Barilla and I have to give your recipe a try. btw that photo of Scarlet and Santa is just too adorable.
I love that photo! Des was right next to me, not leaving my side. Maybe one day he’ll go see Santa too.
No gluten problems here, but gluten free pasta is awesome to me.
This looks delish! I will have to give it a try and substitute the sausage for mushrooms 🙂
I wish I had done that! I kept thinking about how awesome mushrooms would be with the kale, pasta, cheese and squash.
I think every member of my family would eat this! What a great recipe! I love the addition of squash and kale. I wasn’t a huge Kale fan either, but love it now. Especially in cooked dishes like this. Thanks so much for sharing! Yummmmm!!
I did have this really funny conversation with my mother-in-law once.
“I really love kale.”
“Me too.”
“I mean.. it’s good but we can all admit it’s not like.. cookies and ice cream, right?”
“I like kale more.”
Obviously you know I was not the one to say I like kale MORE than such things.. but alas.. it works in this dish.
That looks delicious! I could eat that right now 🙂
I actually just had it for a late lunch! Totally awesome.
I love the smell of freshly cut butternut squash. I love the taste of butternut squash too, but I’ve never tried it with a pasta. I’ve been craving lasagna for like two months and I’ve been thinking about making some sometime after Christmas. I just need to figure out if I can find some dairy substitutes. I’m sure Pinterest can help 🙂
Oh yes! And in this dish, you can just leave out the parmesan and try something else. Then it’s dairy free!
This looks delicious!! And I love the combination of butternut squash and kale. YUM! And it does sound like you had a very full weekend. Hope everyone is feeling better soon. xo
Thank you! Scarlet got better but Cassidy got sick again and then Des did. It seems like a pattern of this. I do remember the seven months of full wellness we had for spring/summer/early fall, though! It will hopefully come back again.
I am all for meals that can be cooked in one pot! Hope you don’t catch what Cassidy and Scarlet have – stay well!
Thank you! Now Des has it so I’m being extra cautious since we have to travel for Christmas and all! I’m so sick of viruses.
Sounds like my kind of weekday dinner. And guess what, I just happen to have the ingredients here. Well, not gluten-free, but wholewheat pasta 🙂
Ooh, whole wheat pasta! I think that would be delicious. And adding mushrooms. Yum.
I like using gluten free pasta too. This looks so good!
Yes, me too and I don’t know why! It’s just so good!
Spaghetti is my go to comfort food also! I also use rice noodles sometimes, but they are not quite as satisfying. I like what you created and would do the same, sans the meat product.
You know I was thinking it would be great with mushrooms instead of sausage. Or both too. Either way!
You have two of my favorite veggies in this dish! I love kale and butternut squash, but for some reason I’ve never thought to put them together.
I pinned this recipe to hopefully try over the holiday. 🙂
I hope everyone is feeling better.
XOXO
My father-in-law makes a kale soup and it often has sausage and either sweet potato or squash. It inspired me. A harvest meal!
Your pasta looks amazing Tamara! I have not tried the gluten-free variety yet, but it looks tasty and I love that you added the kale and butternut squash!
I will get my vegetables any which way in winter! And these are so delicious together which I only learned recently.
Ooh, yum, this looks absolutely delicious!
At BlogHer ’15 I met reps from a company that make gluten-free pasta with lentils. It’s interesting all the ways you can make pasta.
I can’t wait to try this out!
Yum, lentils! I think I’d like that a lot!
this looks incredible!! Especially for those nights that I don’t want meat and all I wanna do is make something quick after work!
Yes! And I think mushrooms would be GREAT in this.
Love pasta dishes – I could eat them every night. And they make good pasta – I’ve snuck in the gluten free and no one has been the wiser. Sadly I am the only one who would eat kale in this house, so I just save it for salads.
I don’t get this weather. Were it summer, I’d be in tshirts and shorts almost… but I am cold. It’s so so so damp because we keep getting rain, and I find that worse than snow now. The dampness is just seeping into my bones.
I’m sorry… I don’t know when I turned 82… I must need some comfort soup.
If you’re 82, I’m 81. Seriously. I’ve become someone who needs to sleep with a humidifier and pop zinc pills. Who am I?
I actually don’t mind Kale that much. We grew a lot of it this year and it’s in our freezer for smoothies. This looks like something I should pull it out for
When I was pregnant with Scarlet it was public enemy #1. And yesterday I was eating it like candy.
Although I do like candy better. Don’t tell anyone!
That sounds so good. I love easy meal ideas like this.
Sometimes I get surprised at how easy a dish is, and how long I had been thinking it would be too hard. Like this one!
This looks scrumptious! I love your pictures as well.
Thank you! Taking photos of this one was awfully fun.
That looks incredible! I’m not gluten intolerant but if I know I’ll be having a heavy week I’ll opt for gluten-free alternatives.
Same here! My body is fine with gluten, but sometimes I prefer gluten-free for a lighter feeling.
Oh does that look awesome! I eat gluten free so this recipe will be a keeper for me.
I’m so glad to hear you have such options! The Barilla line is perfect.
That looks delicious and I’m always trying to figure out yummy ways to sneak kale and other veggies in for my kids. I also love butternut squash so I’m saving this recipe to make later!
It’s one of the few ways I’ll eat kale and so I figure my kids won’t eat it if I won’t, so I have to make it delicious!
I am saving this recipe for those times when we are wanting a home cooked meal without a ton of fuss – it sounds amazing, Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas,
Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a great holiday week and some great meals.
Oh yum! This is my kind of meal. I’m still new to gluten-free meals but I’m sure I’d love this.
I love both gluten pasta and gluten-free. They all hold up! I also eat both tofu and meat. I’m a strange one!
Looks like a tasty and easy dish. So glad there is a gluten free option!
I feel the same way. I can make it for company and not worry about people not being able to eat it.
This looks like a hearty pasta dish that is perfect for Meatless Mondays. I love butternut squash.
I would like to try this recipe with the pasta we use. How can a person not appreciate a one skillet meal!
Oh yes I am all for oen pot meals.This one looks great, and it’d be perfect for busy days.
HUGE pasta lover here..or as my hubby calls it “boiled bread”. I could eat pasta at every meal and not even flinch!
This looks delicious!
My husband is gluten free and I have been trying to find a good pasta recipe to try out. Thanks for sharing this one!
Looks like a wonderful weekend — the Nutcracker and Santa! A tasty one pot meal would definitely be in order. My mother is gluten free so this would be a great option when she is over for dinner.
🙂
Traci
I have to confess that both kids got viruses after all that fun, but I think they think it was worth it!
I love these type of one pot recipes and this one sounds right up my alley. I’m looking forward to trying it! Being gluten free is a perk too! We’re looking to eat less gluten.
It looks sooo delish! I can’t wait to try your recipe and maybe add different veggies to make it more than once a week!
I just found out I might have Celiacs so I’ve started researching how to cook favorites gluten free. This looks tasty!
That looks so yummy! Pasta is a favorite at our house and definitely one of my favorite ways to sneak vegetables into the 3 year old’s diet.
I love one-pot meals. My girls would enjoy this dish. I will have to try it this holiday week off.