Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage

Baby, it's cold outside! Pasta dishes are the ultimate warming comfort food for me. When you make them with multigrain pasta, these pasta dinners become more filling which results in eating a few less carbs. This recipe came together easily, and it was definitely full of fall flavors. The bacon gives this its great flavor. I found this recipe on Koko Cooks who adapted it from Cook's Illustrated.

You will need:
*3 slices of bacon, sliced thinly crosswise
*3 Tbs fresh sage, minced
*1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
*1 Tbs butter
*1 cup thinly sliced scallions, light green and green part only
*¼ tsp ground nutmeg
*2 cups low sodium chicken broth
*1 box of pasta (mine was just over 13oz, I wouldn't do more than a pound)
*2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
*4 tsp lemon juice

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add 2 Tbs of the sage, and cook for another minute. Remove bacon and sage to a plate, keeping as much of the bacon drippings in the pan as possible. Set aside bacon-sage mixture.

2. Turn heat to high. Add the squash in an even layer and cook until the squash begins to brown. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the squash is spotty brown on all sides. This should take from 10-15 minutes total.

3. Add butter and let it melt. Add ¾ of the scallions, nutmeg, and rest of the sage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until scallions are softened, another minute or two. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat to medium and cook until the squash is tender, another 3-4 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ c of pasta water.

5. Return pasta to pot used to cook it. Add the squash mixture, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and bacon-sage mixture. Use pasta water to help the sauce adhere to the noodles if needed. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.