Broccoli Salad, by Diane

 I saw this as a side dish on @wholefoodfor7’s page, and I love a good broccoli salad! Bonus, all these ingredients are good for my Whole30!

Ingredients:

6 cups broccoli florets, chopped

1/4 cup diced bacon, cooked

1/8 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup red grapes, sliced horizontally (I didn’t have these)

1/2 cup cashews or almond slices

1 cup mayo

6 dates, soaked in hot water

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Mix broccoli through nuts in a large bowl.

2. Blend remaining ingredients until smooth, mix in. 

Orechiette with Bacon, Lemon, and Cream, by Cheryl

I was doing was usual grocery shopping online when I began questioning why I was even buying food to begin with. My pantry is overflowing, the freezer is full, and even though the fridge needs a serious clean out it also had plenty of food. So I really took the time to figure out what we already have and try to make some dinners with those ingredients in mind. Less wasteful, more resourceful! I didn't even realize we had orechiette, but there it was in my pantry. I searched for recipes with that and bacon and in comes this lovely dish that was satisfying, comforting, and delicious. I don't know if I'd make it part of my rotation (especially since the kids really didn't like the lemon), but I would definitely make it again if I wanted to spice up pasta night one night. Yum! Ingredients (modified recipe from the Food Network): 12 slices of bacon 1.5 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup sour cream Salt and pepper Grated zest and juice of one lemon 2 tsp Worchester Sauce 1 lb orechiette pasta 1/2 cup minced chives (didn't use this) Directions: 1) Cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel. Reserve a little bacon fat. When cool, rip into pieces. 2) In a large skillet, whisk the heavy cream and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the cream mixture over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes until it thickens. Add the lemon zest, juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside. 3) Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. When done, add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat. Stir in the bacon, a little bacon fat, chives, and additional lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Creamy Butternut Squash Noodles with Mushrooms, Bacon, and Kale, by Diane

This was a total winner for lunches this week! The original inspiration for this recipe came from @everylastbite1's Instagram, but I added some other fun things and it turned out really good. I thought mushrooms would be a good addition, so I used shitake from my Asian market and a splash of truffle oil, I swapped the spinach for kale because I eat a lot of spinach in my morning smoothies, I used a bit of beef broth I had on hand instead of adding more and more oil to the pan, and I added a bit of nutritional yeast to the sauce for extra "cheesiness".  Fairly easy to come together as well! Overall, it tasted like comfort food which was a very good thing on this cold 4th week of Whole 30!

Ingredients:

Butternut squash noodles (I used frozen for ease!)
5 strips bacon
Oil of choice (I used coconut with a splash of white truffle oil)
1 pack shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch of kale, leaves only, rough chopped
1/4-1/2 cup of beef broth (Whole 30 compliant- most have sugar!)
2/3 cup cashews, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
Water

Directions:

1. Make the butternut squash noodles and set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in a large pan, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Crumble when cool.

3. Leaving a tiny bit of oil from the bacon in the pan (as much as you want depending on fat/flavor), add coconut and truffle oil until hot. Add the mushrooms and 2 cloves of garlic and cook until browned. Add broth to the pan as the mushrooms absorb all the oil, scraping the bottom to incorporate the browned bits.

4. Add the kale to the pan and cook until wilted.

5. While the mushroom mixture cooks, blend the drained cashews, almond milk, remaining 1 clove of garlic, salt, pepper, and yeast until smooth. Add in water to reach desired consistency and adjust seasonings.

6. Combine the noodles, bacon and sauce with the mushroom mixture and mix well.

Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts, by Diane

I have been saving this recipe for a while from @littlebitsof_realfood IG account. It was decent, although I like the other brussels sprouts recipes I have created on here before. Once you shred the sprouts and cook the bacon, this recipe comes together in under 5 min!

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, shredded or thinly sliced
4 slices bacon
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. compliant Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon and remove, keeping the grease in the pan (I kept some but also added healthier coconut oil).

2. Add the sprouts and cook about 5 min until just tender.

3. While the sprouts cook, whisk remaining ingredients together. Pour the mixture along with crumbled bacon into the pan and mix well.

Broccoli Salad, by Diane

This was a really great side dish to accompany my lunches this week! You can easily modify this to fit your taste, but I really loved this combo. Recipe insp from @wholefoodfor7, I mixed some ingredients in/took some out that I liked (posted below).

Ingredients:

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
2 broccoli slaw
8 slices bacon (I used prosciutto), diced small
1/2 red onion, diced small
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 sliced almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup mayo
6 dates + 1 cup hot water
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar


Directions:

1. Soak the dates in hot water.

2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Blend mayo, vinegar, and dates (toss the water) until smooth, and pour over dry ingredients.

Sweet Potato Pancetta Tots, by Diane

I found this recipe from @thewonkyspatula's Instagram, and it looked like a great new healthy side dish for the week. These were fairly easy to whip up together, but the recipe had a lot of flaws. The seasoning was way off (fortunately I tasted the batter first!), and the process of roasting then hand-mashing the potatoes was way too time consuming and hard. I wound up using more seasoning and using a food processor, which was way easier. I had some applewood smoked bacon sea salt that tasted great in these! I've included the recipe as I would recreate it below. These are good alone, but the recipe suggests a dipping sauce, and I think a chipotle mayo would be good!


Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes
EVOO/coconut oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 small white onion, diced finely
1/2 green bell pepper, diced finely
100 grams pancetta
1 egg
1/2 tsp each cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Shred potatoes in a food processor, toss with oil and oregano, spread evenly on a greased baking tray and bake at 400 until soft and browned.

2. In a large pan, combine oil, pancetta, onion, and green pepper until the onions brown.

3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl along with remaining spices, season to taste, and form into small disks.

4. Bake for 10 minutes on a parchment paper lined tray at 400, flip and bake another 7-10 minutes until browned on both sides.

Sweet and Smoky Brussels Sprouts Slaw, by Diane

I made this as a side dish to go with my sausage patties for lunches this week. I have been getting so much inspiration from Instagram for healthy Whole30 recipes lately! I added the first step to get more flavor, but you can always cook the shallots separately. I also added sunflower seeds and currants for extra crunch and sweetness. This came out really good, the different flavors worked well and it was quite addictive and crunchy! The only complaint is with the title, there is nothing smoky in the salad so I'm not sure why it was called that but it's a very good side dish to have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 brussels sprouts, shredded
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
5-6 strips bacon, chopped (I subbed in prosciutto here)
1/3 chopped dates
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp currants
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
1 small orange, juiced
1 date
1 garlic clove
2/3 avocado oil or evoo
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon and shallot together, placed on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

2. Combine brussels sprouts through currants in a large bowl.

3. Blend the remaining ingredients until combined well, pour over the brussels sprouts mixture.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon, by Diane

This pan of brussels sprouts came out like an episode on the food network! Everyone ate them up not only because they tasted amazing but they looked so delicious! We had these as a side at our Passover seder, and this couldn't have been easier to throw together alongside all the other cooking and prep. We even had two brussels sprouts haters ask for seconds! We will definitely be making these again! I just threw this together because I knew that brussels sprouts taste better when they a) have some carmelization to them and b) have some savory flavor added in.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs fresh brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise and end removed
6 slices turkey bacon (or regular bacon, we just didn't feel we could serve that on Passover!), diced
EVOO
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Spread EVOO on a baking tray, then line brussels sprouts rounded side up. Brush the tops with EVOO, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bacon over top.

3. Roast for about 30 minutes or until they brown nicely.

Honey Mustard Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Salad, by Diane

I made this salad after seeing it on facebook to many rave reviews (link here). It was fairly easy to throw together in a large batch for the week's lunches, only the prep of each ingredient was time consuming but the rest came together in a breeze. The dressing was a bit too sweet and I had to double the recipe because there wasn't enough for more than two salads. I also added eggs because I love the extra protein and it went really well with this salad! Finally, I cooked the bacon in the pan first before the chicken (the recipe cooks the chicken first and then bacon) because I wanted more flavor in the chicken. I am posting the recipe below for 2 servings, if you want more for the week just double the dressing part.

Ingredients:

Dressing / Marinade (for 2 servings):

• 1/3 cup honey (I would use maybe 1 tbsp per batch here and then add as you go if you want it more sweet)
• 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons smooth and mild Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt to season
• 2 skinless and boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts

For Salad (for 2 servings):

• 1/2 cup diced bacon
• 4 cups Romaine lettuce leaves, washed
• 1 cup sliced grape or cherry tomatoes (I used sundried for the flavor)
• 1 large avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 1/4 of a red onion , sliced
• 4 hard boiled eggs, quartered

Instructions

1. Whisk marinade/dressing ingredients together to combine. Pour half the marinade into a shallow dish to marinade the chicken for two hours. Refrigerate the reserved untouched marinade to use as a dressing.
2. Heat a nonstick pan (or grill pan or skillet) over medium heat with about a teaspoon of oil and sear/grill chicken on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through. (Grill in batches to prevent excess water being released.) Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.
3. Wipe pan over with paper towel; drizzle with another teaspoon of oil and fry the bacon until crispy.
4. Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with leaves, tomatoes, avocado slices, corn, onion strips and chicken.
5. Whisk 2 tablespoons of water into the remaining untouched marinade/dressing and drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle the bacon over the top and season with a little extra salt and cracked pepper (optional).

Cauliflower Biscuits with Bacon and Jalapeño, by Diane

Oh my god. I can't say enough to express how good these things are. I already ate two within 20 minutes of pulling them out of the oven and they are supposed to be for the week's lunches. I have put them in the fridge but am already thinking of eating them all more and making another batch for the week....

These were easy to put together and aside from the bacon aspect are really healthy. They are also gluten-free (I used brown rice flour bc that's what I had on hand, but the recipe calls for almond flour). I also had some nutritional yeast leftover from another recipe, and at the last minute added that in- thank GOODNESS I did because now they are more like cheddar bacon jalapeño biscuits and who doesn't love that combo? Last comment- I skipped all this measuring cup nonsense for shaping them and just made them into compact balls. I also used frozen cauliflower instead of fresh. Both way easier!

I did have one criticism of the recipe name, as the use of the word biscuit is misleading. They are more like baked balls of deliciousness, but since that doesn't make a good recipe title I stuck with the original, found here.


Ingredients:

• 7 slices bacon
• 1 jalapeño, chopped finely
• 2 bags frozen cauliflower florets, cooked and chopped finely
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
•  1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 2 eggs 
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, for cheesy flavor- or just regular cheese!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Chop 7 slices of bacon thinly and add to a large saucepan over medium high heat.

3. Add in jalapeño, cook until soft and bacon is browned.

4. Drain the grease and add the bacon and jalapeño back into the pan along with the spices and cauliflower. Mix well and add to a large bowl.

5. Add the flour and eggs to the bowl, and mix thoroughly.

6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, form the cauliflower mixture into balls (about 2 inches in diameter) and place on the paper.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until biscuits have started to brown.

Maple Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates with a Balsamic Honey Glaze, by Diane

For this batch, I drizzled on only balsamic vinegar before they cooked, but if you make it according to the recipe, there will be a mouth-watering glaze on these babies!

This is hands down the best party appetizer in my bag of entertaining tricks. I've made this several times before and they are always the first things to go! These are gooey, hot, and the most amazing combination of sweet and salty ever. The maple bacon, tart blue cheese and balsamic vinegar, and sweet caramel-y dates and honey are such an amazingly addictive combo. They do take a bit of prep work (about 15-20 min) to set up, but each time I make them it gets a little quicker. Bonus- if you're the host your whole house smells amazing for your guests! :)

*Note- I've learned that dates that are packaged in plastic bags or containers are more moist and sweet than in a cardboard container!

*Note- If you are more in a hurry, as I was for the occasion in this photo, you can simply drizzle balsamic vinegar over the dates before you place them into the broiler and omit the honey glaze.


Ingredients:
Pitted whole dates (the amount depends on your guest count, I now plan for about 5 a person!)
Blue cheese (again amount depends, typically one container works well)
Maple flavored bacon (I like to use thick cut here, one package typically works well)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (a good, thick one works best!)
3 tbsp honey


Directions:

1. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside.

2. On a large cutting board, slice open all dates horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through (you're only cutting open one side). I've found the best way to streamline this process is to line all the dates up on the cutting board once sliced.

3. Stuff a generous portion of blue cheese in each date, going row by row. Pack in the cheese and press down until it's nearly one solid piece of cheese (this ensures that it won't fall out onto the baking tray during cooking so that you get a nice big cheesy bite!).

4. Slice each bacon slice in half width-wise, then roll around each date and fasten with a toothpick. Place each bacon wrapped date on the baking tray, separated by 1/2-1 inch.

5. Place tray in broiler for 10-20 minutes on high. You want the bacon to be fully cooked at the end but not burned. Halfway through, you'll need to flip the dates and pour out some of the grease so that the dates can continue to crisp up. It may be necessary to remove some of the dates that have cooked already to let the remaining dates continue to cook without burning some of the ones that are done.

6. While the dates are cooking, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan over medium high heat and stir for about 5 minutes until it thickens into a syrup. Set aside.

7. Remove the dates and place onto a paper towel lined plate to remove any extra grease. Transfer to a serving dish after a minute or so open side up, then pour the balsamic honey glaze over the dates. Let cool for 5 min before serving.

Slow-Cooker Potato Soup, by Cheryl

Mmm, this is an easy and delicious dish! We had it as a side soup, but this could easily be a weeknight dinner or lunch. We added green onions and some crisp bacon from a local farm, which added a fantastic taste to the soup. Yum!

Ingredients:

3-4 large potatoes or 9 small potatoes, unskinned, scrubbed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced onion
4 cups chicken stock or broth
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream

Optional toppings:
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon pieces, sliced green onions

Directions:

1) Add the potatoes, onion, stock, garlic, and salt to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

2) Add the butter and puree the soup using a handheld immersion blender. Stir in the cream.

3) Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the toppings of your choice, and serve immediately.

Spinach, Bacon, and Chickpea Stuffed Portobellos, by Diane

I have never made portobello mushroom caps before, lets alone stuffed portobello caps. But I found a recipe online that looked interesting, tweaked it, and a great set of weekly lunches was created! This recipe is fairly easy, and you can remix the ingredients and spices (as I did) or just follow along with the recipe posted. I am posting my version, and you can see the original version here.

Warning- this recipe is only for 2 caps, so I doubled the quantities below to get 4 for the week.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO
2 large portobello mushroom caps
1/4 of a medium leek, cleaned and sliced (green and light green/white parts are ok!)
3 small shallots, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, minced
9 slices of thin-sliced bacon (or less for thicker bacon; I used turkey bacon)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of each of the following: thyme, oregano, rosemary
2 large handfuls spinach, washed
1 can chickpeas, drained


Directions:

1. Wipe mushroom caps with a damp cloth (they will soak up the water if you wash them and become soggy).

2. Preheat oven to 425. Meanwhile, grease baking sheet and bottoms of the mushroom caps with 1 tbsp EVOO. Place gill side up onto the baking sheet.

3. Mash chickpeas in a large bowl, leaving some chunky pieces behind. Set aside.

4. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp EVOO on medium high. Add in leeks, shallots, garlic, and bacon and cook, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn, for 2-3 minutes. Add in salt, pepper, and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add in spinach and cook until just wilted.

5. Combine the spinach mixture with the chickpeas and adjust seasoning if necessary. Stuff the mixture into the mushroom caps (it will be stacked over the edges).

6. Bake for 20 minutes until the top of the filling is golden brown.

Julia Child's Coq a Vin, Crockpot Edition, by Diane

At long last, a picture of a stew actually looks appetizing! I cannot say enough about how delicious this meal was. This was by far one of the best things I have ever made, and it was so easy. Not to mention, a great spin off of Julia Child's classic Coq a Vin. This dish is perfect for company as it is very impressive, and is great alone or with sides like mashed potatoes. My only suggestion- I may decrease the wine by 1/2 cup next time and sub chicken broth, as I am fairly certain everyone got buzzed eating this dish!! My other suggestion- double this and make more because you won't be able to get enough!!!

I did make three substitutes here- I used chicken breasts instead of thighs (preference), I skipped the cognac (didn't have it on hand), and added in herbs de provence (thanks to Cheryl's Egg Sandwich I am addicted!!).

Recipe from: http://www.thezenofslowcooking.com/slow-cooker-coq-au-vin-a-la-julia-child-2/


Ingredients:

2 ½ to 3 lbs skinless chicken thighs & legs
1/3 cup flour
salt & pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
4 slices lean bacon, cut into 1” strips
12 baby onions, (24 pearl) peeled and left whole
½ lb button mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup cognac
1 3/4  cup red wine
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large sprig thyme (or a generous 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Place the chicken, flour, salt and pepper in a gallon size ziploc bag and shake well ensuring the chicken is liberally coated with the mixture.
2. In a skillet heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil on medium high and add the chicken pieces.Brown the chicken for 2 minutes on either side until it turns a lightly golden color. Stir the remainder of the flour from the bag into the browned chicken and transfer to your slow cooker. 
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and saute the bacon, onions and mushrooms for 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until glazed and shiny. Drain any excess fat from the skillet and transfer the mixture into your slow cooker.
4. Stir the cognac, wine, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, oregano and bay leaf into the chicken mixture.
5. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3 1/2 – 4 hours.

Ravioli with Tomato, Arugula, and Pancetta, by Cheryl

Hooray for U.S. television again!!! More specifically, hooray for cooking shows that I have missed while being abroad! Before moving overseas I used to watch Giada a lot and have gotten a lot of recipes from watching her show. Since being back I've watched quite a few episodes and that's where I got this recipe from. Since you're not making the ravioli from scratch this recipe is pretty easy and is very good. I think it needed a little bit more flavor so I put more salt on it as I was eating it. But I tend to like a lot of salt on my meals as well. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pound cheese ravioli
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (I used bacon)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, plus extra for seasoning
3 cups arugula
1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves, divided
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Directions:

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook according to package instructions.

2) In a large non-stick skillet of medium-high heat, add the pancetta, and cook - stirring frequently until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain.

3) Add the tomatoes, olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and cook for two minutes until tender.

4) Add arugula and 1/4 cup of basil and cook until wilted.

5) Stir in butter and melt. Add the ravioli and cooked pancetta and toss until coated.

6) Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

7) Garnish with the remaining basil and serve.

Elvis Sandwich, by Diane

My dad's favorite sandwich growing up was an odd one- peanut butter and bacon- and over the years my sister and I learned to love it too. One night, years ago, we were watching the food network and saw an Elvis sandwich featured at a diner somewhere. This sandwich is actually famous because Elvis loved it, and requested it where he went. My dad, sister, and I got such a craving for it that we ran out to the grocery store and raced back home to make and eat it. It sounds extremely weird, but the ingredients combine so well together and satisfy both salty and sweet tastes. And it takes my dad's fave childhood sandwich up a notch, even better. Despite the uncommon ingredients, I promise you will crave this sandwich late at night from time to time!! It's definitely better grilled, particularly on a panini maker, but you can fry it in a pan if you don't have a panini maker (we cheat and use the forman!). If you do fry it in the pan, make sure to squeeze it down while you cook it. The powdered sugar at the end was a Gilman addition, you can take it or leave it (but we think it makes the sandwich just a little more amazing!). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 slices country white bread
4 strips of crispy bacon (you can use turkey bacon too, but real bacon tastes better)
1/2 banana, cut lengthwise in strips
Smooth peanut butter
Honey
Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Assemble the sandwich: spread peanut butter on both sides of the bread, layer bacon on one side and bananas on the other. Drizzle both sides with honey. Close the sandwich. Here is a photo of what it should look like before you close it:


2. Grill the sandwich on a panini maker or foreman grill, or fry in pan with cooking spray (pressing while it cooks).
3. Remove from the grill and place on a plate. Drizzle honey on the sandwich, then sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.
4. Get messy and enjoy!!!

Butternut Squash and Bacon Mac 'n Cheese, by Cheryl

I know we've been using quite a bit of butternut squash lately... it all stems from that amazing lunch Diane and I had at Tower Oaks. Anyways, I was looking for a comfort food type of meal to make tonight... this recipe originally comes from Cooking Light. It took longer than I thought it would to prepare, but once the preparation is done, the food is almost ready to eat. In the future I would make more of a milk/flour/cheese mixture because I don't feel that it covered the whole dish well. This dish works best if you have the butternut squash, bacon, and pasta all in the same bite. Yum!!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I use pre-peeled/cubed)
1 tbsp Dried Rosemary
salt and pepper
1 box pasta of choice (I used rotini)
7 slices of bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 cup shallots, diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (1 or 2%)
1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese
1/3 cup grated fresh parmesan

Directions:
Preheat to 425. Coat the squash lightly in cooking spray, rosemary, and S&P. Roast in a pan for 45 minutes until squash is tender.
While the squash is roasting, cook the pasta, and fry the bacon. When the bacon is done, pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the drippings. Set aside the bacon, and cook the shallots 5 minutes or until translucent in the leftover drippings. Crumble the bacon and set it aside with the shallots. When the squash is done roasting, mix in the bacon and shallots and turn the oven up to 450.
Put the flour in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat and slowly whisk in the milk. When all the milk has been added, bring to a boil for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Combine the pasta and the squash mixture in a 9×13 casserole dish, and pour the milk and cheese mixture over the top. Stir to coat. Top with grated parmesan and pop back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.