Recently I posted a recipe on Recipezaar that I found in a fundraiser cookbook, Creamy Garlic Pasta.

I play tag games on Recipezaar and Food, Friends & Fun Forum, in which players make each other’s recipes and review them. After 2 of the game players made the pasta and gave it 5 stars (and shared fabulous pictures), I knew I needed to try it too.

When I made it, I did my usual thing and changed up a few things I thought would work and used food I had in the house. It worked so well, I’m posting the new version here so I can make it again.

The result is a creamy butternut squash pasta where you make the pasta and sauce at the same time in a single pot using regular pasta. I did saute the add-ins in a skillet so they are hot when I toss them in, so the recipe ends up using one pot and one skillet.

If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out. And be sure to share any changes you made in the comments below too!

Next time I make it, I’ll be sure to get better pictures!

Creamy Butternut Pasta

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups butternut squash soup (boxed or canned)
• 8 ounces ziti (or your favorite pasta)
• 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced into small pieces
• 1 cup imitation crab, cooked shrimp or cooked chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, optional (chives, dill or rosemary, or use your favorite herbs)

Directions:

1. In a pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil to medium-high heat, then add garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
2. Add salt, pepper, chicken stock and butternut squash soup. Stir, then raise the heat to high and bring to boil.
3. Once stock is boiling, add pasta and cook according to the time on the pasta package. Stirring occasionally.
4. While the pasta is cooking, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Once hot, add green onion and mushrooms. Saute until partially cooked (approximately 2-3 minutes), then add the protein (crab, shrimp or chicken). Once warm, remove from heat but leave in skillet.
5. After the pasta has cooked based on the time on the pasta instructions, reduce heat to medium and add Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted. Turn off heat and move to cool part of the stove. Stir in cream, then parsley and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

This makes a main dish, or leave out the protein and serve it as a side dish or vegetarian main dish.