12 Great Recipes to Make This Summer

Did you know that Washington state produces some of the highest-quality dairy products? Take advantage of your local dairy products by making one of these udderly great recipes.

By Erin Lem June 24, 2015 Partner Content

You’ve beelined it to your local ice cream parlor on a hot summer day and regularly dish out yogurt at snack time. In fact, dairy may be your kids’ favorite food group. Luckily for you, Washington state produces some of the highest-quality dairy products around. All of the milk produced by Washington dairy farm families is rbST free and it all comes from happy cows. Red Tricycle Seattle writer, Helen recently visited a WA dairy farm and got inspired to take advantage of these high-quality dairy products in your own kitchen. Flip through the photo gallery to get cookin’.

Baked Squash Pasta

We love squash because it's one of the most versatile root vegetables out there. In this recipe, the parmesan cheese and grated fontina adds a bit of cheesy goodness to this pasta dish that will surely be gobbled up at the dinner table.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 medium winter squash of virtually any variety

1 lb. pasta of your choice, as long as it’s a fairly sturdy shape

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup (packed) grated fontina

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (you could also use sage or thyme, if you prefer)

salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 425F. Stick the squash in a baking pan (you can even use the same casserole that you’re going to bake the pasta in) and roast it in the oven until it is very tender and easily pierced by a fork – generally an hour or so. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until you can just handle it, then cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, then scoop the flesh of the squash out. Measure out 3 cups into a large mixing bowl, reserving the rest for another use.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for two minutes less than the instructions call for. Reserve a cup and a half of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

3. Mash the squash in the bowl with the sour cream and enough of the pasta water to reach a creamy sauce consistency. If you want a very smooth sauce, puree the squash using a handheld (or regular) blender, otherwise just mash it with a potato masher. Fold in the Parmesan, 1/4 cup of the Fontina, and the rosemary. Add salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the cooked pasta.

4. Transfer the pasta to a casserole or baking dish and sprinkle the rest of the Fontina cheese on top. Bake the pasta in the oven (still at 425F) until the cheese on top is melted and bubbling, 20-25 minutes. Top with a bit more freshly ground black pepper, and serve.

What's your family's favorite squash dish? Share with us below!

Recipe courtesy of our friend Emily at Five and Spice

What dairy product can your kids not get enough of? Which of the above recipes are you planning to make? Leave us a Comment below and “like” this story to share!

The Washington Dairy Products Commission celebrates the contribution of local dairy farm families. By producing wholesome and nutritious dairy products and caring for their cows and land, local dairy farm families are a key ingredient to making the northwest a great place to live. Learn more at www.akeyingredient.com.