'Tis the Season...for Pumpkin!

Well, it's also the season for silly Halloween food...or was, recently, and so I would be remiss if I didn't mention the cool mummy hot dogs I made for our Halloween dinner. I got the recipe online: www.pillsbury.com/recipes/crescent-mummy-dogs/d52a57d7-ab8a-4a1c-8dae-f9f90d03b912/

And last night, I adapted a Rachael Ray recipe for pasta with pumpkin & sausage. I had it with sourdough & salad...she recommends pumpernickel & spinach salad. This is my adaptation:

Penne with Sausage & Pumpkin Cream Sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (I used Bob Evans)

7 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of fresh sage, leaves removed from stem & cut into chiffonade

1 c. dry white wine

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. heavy cream

Scant 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Scant 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Salt & pepper

1 lb. penne, cooked al dente

Grated parmesan

Brown the sausage in a tbsp. of oil, breaking it up. Drain. Add 1 tbsp. oil and saute the onion & garlic until tender. Add bay leaf, sage and wine. Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock & pumpkin. Cook and stir until bubbly. Add sausage. Reduce heat and add cream. Season with spices, salt & pepper. Simmer 5-10 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf and toss sauce with pasta, cooking over low heat for a couple minutes to heat through. Garnish with cheese. Serves 4 and is very yummy!