Harvest Pasta Bake…with The In-Laws!
My intention was NOT to do another cooking post for awhile…BUT a very funny thing happened at the forum as the saying goes. I just couldn’t let this scenario pass by without sharing it you!
My in-laws were coming over as I have just shared with you previously. I saw this recipe and said to my husband,”I should make this ahead for your parents the night before they get here and we can serve it for lunch when they arrive.” He says, “No we are not using a Friday night to cook!” We have worked hard all week and we need to go out and have a little fun and relax, he says! “We will just take them out for lunch.” I wasn’t comfortable with this decision but did go along with it. Bad mistake as you will see.
The next day, I start picking up the house etc. getting ready for their arrival along with the hubby. They arrive and we chit chat for a while, I then proceed to start making the meal. I didn’t want to go out to lunch. In the past, they used to cook for us all the time, when we lived up in Indiana and I figure it is our turn to do the good deed. Now let me proceed to say…she is a very good cook.
My mother in law arrives in the kitchen to keep an eye on me.
The first ingredient in the recipe is Butternut Squash… see I have never cooked with this variety of squash. I started to get nervous because I really didn’t know how to begin to cut this:) They are huge! I decide to go get my husband when she wasn’t looking. I said, “How do you start to cut this thing?” He takes it from me and says, “I’ll do it.” Now we are all back in the kitchen together. I read out loud the next ingredient which is crushed red pepper. I ask my husband what did you do with the crushed red pepper? (He bought the groceries for this dish.) He gives me this deer in the headlight look…and says, “Crushed red pepper?” Where does it say that in the recipe? I bought a RED PEPPER, he says! Oh good grief, I said! I roll my eyes and say,”Now what am I to do?” He says, “I’ll go back to the store!” Come on Dad…we are already going to the store and you have only been here a few minutes. Roar…By now the mother-in-law is laughing too. She says, “Wait, if you are going to the store I noticed you have only Philadelphia creme cheese in the refrigerator and I said,”Yes, what is wrong with that?” She says, “The recipe calls for Philadelphia COOKING CREME!” Oh good grief…Matt seriously??? You bought the wrong ingredient for this too! The father-in-law says, “We better go, you are getting into alot of trouble here!” He then proceeds to ask his wife, “What does Cooking Creme look like?” At this point, I had very little faith…this was going to all work out. My husband turns and looks at me as he heads out the door and says, “I told YOU we should of just taken them out to eat!” After they leave, I look at her and say, “I need a drink, how about you?”
Harvest Pasta Bake
What You Need
1 butternut squash (2 lb.), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 onion, cut lengthwise in half, then sliced crosswise
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. (1/2 of 16-oz. pkg.) rigatoni pasta (3-1/3 cups), uncooked
1/2 cup PHILADELPHIA Original Cooking Creme
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Three Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA,divided
1/4 cup croutons, crushed
HEAT oven to 400ºF.
COMBINE first 4 ingredients in 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake 30 to 40 min. or until squash is tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
DRAIN pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add to squash mixture with cooking creme and 1 cup shredded cheese; mix lightly. Top with crouton crumbs and remaining shredded cheese.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.
So please make me feel better and leave a comment and let me know I am not the ONLY one this has happened to.
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Pride in Photos 
Oh, I love pasta. I could eat past every day and this recipe looks very delish – you did well and you deserved that drink! Thanks for linking up to food Photography this week!
IT was a very funny situation that day! Good memories for sure.
See Laurie, that’s why I don’t like to cook!!!
Annie
Sooooooo….how did it all turn out? Marvelous, I’m sure, especially after the drink! See, this is why I don’t cook anymore……too much pressure – LOL!