Catching up on weekend activities?
- Check out what happened with my Half Marathon on Saturday.
- And read my 10K Race Recap from Sunday’s race!
I am eating THE MOST amazing lunch. I wasn’t sure if the flavor combination would work, but it totally did!
I drained the extra glaze off the leftover Glazed Butternut Squash (about 1/4 of the recipe) and mixed it with:
- 1/2 cup (measured dry) cooked whole wheat pasta
- 1/4 cup pasta sauce
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese
- Pepper
And baked everything in a personal-sized dish for 20 minutes at 400. I topped it with cheese and broiled it until bubbly. Presenting…. Butternut Squash Ziti!
It was SO good – sweet and creamy. I had a side of broccoli, too.
Update on Maggie
Thanks again for all your well-wishes for Maggie. I took her to the vet this morning because she was limping on her back leg. I tried to make the trip to the vet fun, but she wasn’t having any of it.
The vet did a manual exam and x-rays…
He said that she probably just has soft-tissue damage (like a sprain). She must have been playing too hard! He gave me anti-inflammatory medicine (as well as painkillers). The Husband spoke to a holistic vet, who said it was a good idea to strap one of our medical magnets on her, as well. Sometimes I wear this on my knees after long runs, and they make me feel better – I figure it can’t hurt to try it on Maggie.
Poor puppy. She’s not allowed to run or play for 5 days.
Tea at The Ritz – Is it Blogger Friendly?
As I blogged about this weekend, the Husband and I will be having afternoon tea at The Ritz in London on our one year wedding anniversary. When we booked our tea time, the first thing the Husband said was, “This will be great material for the blog!” But then, several readers mentioned you cannot take pictures inside The Ritz, and my heart sank!
A readers named Julie was AWESOME enough to e-mail The Ritz for me and inquire whether photographs were allowed. Apparently, pictures are allowed in the room where tea is served, but not the other public areas.
Mystery solved! Thanks, Julie! 
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Operation Beautiful
YUM! I love using squash with pasta because it makes it sooooo creamy no? I use it in place of creamy sauces these days YUMMMERSSS! Love your combo though, I wouldn’t have thought to bake it!
The pasta looks fantastic and sound divine. Glad Maggie is okay and I hope the magnet helps!
that baked ziti looks truly amazing. i just ate lunch and i’d still eat that if it were in front of me…
so i’m officially putting butternut squash in ANYTHING cause EVERYTHING with it looks ahmazing. thanks for another recipe inspiration. recipiration? or is that too much like respiration?
The pasta looks great. Any ideas of what to do with acorn squash? I bought some at the weekend for the first time – is it similar to butternut squash?
I’m jealous about the ritz – I’ve lived near London for 22 years and have never been!
hangry heather did something fun with acorn squash the other day: http://www.hangrypants.com/2009/11/she-says-twice-baked-acorn-squash/
Glad to hear maggie’s better. And yum that sounds delicious!
what an amazing anniversary plan!
maggie is TOO cute and i’m so glad she’s okay. 5 days of no playing will be tough, but she seems like a tough lil’ cookie.
That. Looks. Amazing.
Glad your pup is OK!
Get well soon Maggie
I’m glad Maggie is doing well. I hope she gets used to her new knickers!
I think your recipe sounds AMAZING! I know what I’m bringing to Thanksgiving this year!
butternut + pasta sauce is a great combo! glad you liked it
so happy nothing bad is wrong with Maggie!
SO GLAD Maggie is ok!!!
I made a butternut squash mac and cheese not too long ago that was absolutely stellar. I think you’d love it!
Also, my LCSW mom is very interested in OB and would be willing to talk to you as a professional about women, teens and body image…if you want!
i emailed you
I’m so glad to see Maggie is doing well–good luck on keeping her still and calm during recovery! My wire fox terrier has had a few sprains (he’s a bit manic) and keeping him still was a total nightmare (too bad dogs can’t just be made to sit and watch TV)…
Fingers crossed that dear Maggie stays well!
I’m glad Maggie is better!
Question: do you feed your adorable dogs an organic/natural food? I blogged about pet nutrition last night and I’m curious about what other healthy lifestylers do.
i actually blogged about this once – http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/2009/08/vegetarian-pets.html
i am slowly switching them from dry + wet food to just dry, and then i might switch the vegetarian dry. i cant really decide if its the right thing to do (for them as my pets, to me it’s the right thing morally speaking).
Ooh, interesting. Our cats could obviously never be vegetarian, but I’ve definitely heard of dogs doing very well with them. Our dog would eat pumpkin and peanut butter all day if we let him!
It makes me so sad when people feed their dogs junky food. At least when you’re the one eating it, you’re the one making the decision, but dogs have to rely on you to choose for them. Poor puppies!
Oh that dish looks so good!! Fun spin on regular baked ziti.
Caitlin your photos are so awesome since you got the new camera! I really love that one of the bite of ziti. I need to learn to use my camera!
Can’t wait to see your photos when you go to The Ritz. I’ve had tea in many London hotels but not The Big Daddy!
That’s a combination I never would have considered but looks absolutely delicious!
My favorite tea spot in London is the Orangery at Kensington Palace — I’ll be curious to see how The Ritz compares.
glad to see Maggie is okay!!
Thank goodness Maggie is ok! Oscar HATES the vet too, he freaks out when we pull into the parking lot. He will be back in a month to get neutered, so he better get over it!
Can’t wait to see your pictures from Tea at the Ritz! Scott and I had tea in London a few years ago – on the 7th floor of Liberty of London. Very cool place – check it out if you haven’t done so already.
Pretty sad when Maggie’s x-ray looks better than mine
Maybe I need a magnet corset. Do they come in leopard print? 
Glad to hear Maggie is ok! Can’t wait to hear about Tea at The Ritz!! I’ve been to the Dorchester for afternoon tea and it was amazing. http://www.thedorchester.com/reserve-afternoon-tea-dorchester
I’m going to London next week! So excited! What else do you guys have planned for your trip?
so far, our other plans include:
Natural History Museum
Two day trip to Bath
White Cliffs of Dover
Tower of London
Well wishes to Maggie!!! It always breaks my heart when my doggie is sick or doesn’t feel well. I’m so glad she’s ok!
And wowza! I’m a little squash obsessed recently and I LOVE this idea! I’ve done tea at the Ritz- it’s a fantastic idea and I am sure that you will absolutely love it and have a wonderful time.
Your Butternut Squash Ziti looks amazing, I want to make it now!!! Still trying to get to making Butternut Squash soup, however. Maybe I will by 2 of them and make both. =)
P.S. Sorry I missed you at the 10K on Sunday, hope to see & meet you at a future local race……..
Pardon me if you’ve already said this, but is this your first trip to London? I went this spring and as a foodie in the making even then…there were two markets that are absolute MUST SEES if possible.
this is our second trip to london together (the husband is from england) and will be my 5th trip to europe (i have a travel problem….)
suggestions for places to visit are appreciated!
Two words: Borough. Market. It’s basically foodie heaven.
Are you guys going to see the key ceremony at the Tower of London? I think you have to get tickets WAAAAY in advance…
I didn’t know he was British! *Swoon*
If I had lots of money, i’d have a problem…for now it’s just a daydreaming of fabulous places to visit problem.
Yes yes yes to Borough Market! It’d be a good place for a blogger (and reader!) meet-up, if you’re still planning one of them.
i’m going to try to do a meet up, we’ll see! i hope so.
Congrats on the 10K this weekend! It feels so good when you know you ran well! I already can’t wait to see the pics from tea at the Ritz!
I’m glad Maggie isn’t hurt too bad! How cute are those Xrays! My dog had a soft tissue injury a few years ago. After one day on the medicine he was back to normal. I hope she feels better soon!
Glad Maggie is ok
So glad your pup is okay! I have a daschund too and worry about potential future back issues. They are the sweetest most mischievous dogs!
Glad Maggie is all better now! Lunch looks great.
i’m glad maggie’s okay… and i wanted to mention that your photograph from this morning of the steam coming from your coffee cup was beautiful!
I want to go to London! Also, I love the ziti idea.
Yayyy, I am so glad that Maggie is okay!
I wish I was having your lunch for my lunch today
YAY for Maggie! Love her facial expressions!
This lunch looks yummy, and I wish I had time to make it today. Glad the pup is feeling better!
Yay, glad Maggie survived the vet trip. Hopefully she’ll be back to her old self soon, she was just having too much fun
wow that baked squash ziti looks soo good!
jenna
I hope Maggie feels better soon. Wow! Tea at The Ritz. That will be awesome. Thanks for posting the pick of the Ziti. I will be making that asap.
I hope Maggie feels better soon! That little x-ray is so cute! LOL! Who knew an x-ray could be so cute! Have you considered looking into some alternative medicine for her joints? It might be a good idea as she gets older. My parents have a papillon, and they are known to have hip problems. Her back legs have been slipping out from under her a bit, so they are trying a pill that helps her joints. She gets half of the pill in the am, and half in the evening for three weeks, and then they’ll take it down to one 1/2 dose per day. They are even chewable roast beef flavor… LOL!
we’re starting her on glucosamine, i hope that helps!
Your welcome Caitlin!
The pasta looks so good, I haven’t had a good pasta with red sauce in far too long.
Glad Maggie is okay!
Your squash concoction looks yummy and Maggie is such a cutie-cute! Wishing her a speedy recovery!
Hmmm… got some leftover butternut squash in the fridge! I was thinking “mac and cheese”, but this looks waaaay better
Glad nothing too serious for Maggie!
Yum squash is always good is sphaghetti!
Glad Mags is OK. Some of our smaller dogs have done that and it’s always frightening.
And I LOVE that pic of James in bed in the earlier post. My dogs do that sometimes and I just can’t help but laugh. I don’t think my animals know they are animals.
this baked ziti recipe sounds great! a must try for sure
i’m so glad maggie is ok!
my doxie (who is super long) has had a sore back twice b/c he tries to go 100 mph ALL the time (i would kill for his energy!!)
nothing is scarier than the possibility that it’s a serious back problem for our long and low friends!!
I’m always a little scared of butternut squash. I’m not what it is, I think it might be the fact that I’m not crazy about butternut squash soup or maybe that it’s so darn hard to cut!
Your recipe looks delicious though! Any tips for an easier way to cut a butternut squash? Does microwaving it help?
take it out of the fridge first and let it reach room temp. i just took a really sharp knife to it.
Poor Maggie!!!!
And that meal looks amazing!
Glad Maggie is doing better. She probably isn’t happy that she can’t play.
so glad maggie is ok. Poor thing. One question though- how do you make a dog not run? That would be be as hard as not letting them go pee or poo pretty much.
i just keep yelling at her not to move. She’s so lazy, it’s pretty effective.
I love her crazy eyes!! She is precious!
Your ziti looks A mazing … I def. need to try that dish
I have been searching for a good butternut squash recipe, and this looks perfect!
-Courtney
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