Penne with Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound penne rigate pasta
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 cups baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 7 minutes (the pasta will only be partially cooked). Drain, reserving 2 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then crumble the bacon once it is cool enough to handle. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.

3. Add the olive oil and squash to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the pasta and 2 cups of the reserved pasta cooking water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the pasta and squash are cooked, about 5 minutes, adding additional pasta cooking water if needed.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach, garlic and parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper; sprinkle with the cheese and crumbled bacon.

Comments:
I halved everything in this recipe except for the squash so it ended up almost unbearably squash-y. Adam's comment? It would be good without the squash. *sigh* I take responsibility for that one. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to only use half the squash... Duh.