Pumpkin Cream Sauce with Pasta

Yes, I know, 2 winter squash and pasta recipes in a row!  Will get diversity next time, but trust me, this one is worth the monotony!  And great for a pre-'trick-or-treat' meal!

I'm always looking for savory pumpkin recipes so that I can use up the leftover can of pumpkin after making pumpkin cookies, scones, or pancakes this time of year.  Some of you might remember my very first meal on here and total blunder with the 'pumpkin encrusted tempeh' from last year!  yuck... So I was really excited when I saw a pumpkin pasta recipe on the back of my Kroger whole wheat penne.  I personally don't like following recipes (feels too restrictive and complicated and less creative in my opinion, but to each their own!), but they are great for getting ideas!  I just perused the recipe and got the 'gist' of it.
It was basically a pumpkin cream sauce with cheese, sausage and pasta added.  I can make that my own, and if Kroger thinks it's good, it must be good!

Of course this meant I had to make pumpkin cookies first!  Which made for a perfectly pumpkin day since we were going to carve ours when Cody got home.  :)

To start dinner get the pot of water for pasta going and the pan ready to saute onions and garlic.  I used a small white onion and about 3-4 cloves of garlic.  Add your choice of protein (or not.  Pasta has decent amount on own).  I was just going to use tofu, but the fake vegetarian sausage was on sale right next to it and I thought I would splurge!  I don't usually like to eat a lot of processed meat alternatives but this one actually didn't have any isolated soy protein, just gluten (main protein in wheat, barley, and rye) and tofu.  I am okay with an onslaught of gluten in my body once in a while!  Saute with some olive oil or coconut oil until onions are tender.

Then add some broth of your choice--maybe 2 cups or so, and the pumpkin.  I just used what was left of the can I had for the cookies, maybe 1 cup.  The recipe called for 12 oz I believe, just make as pumpkin-y as you like!  This is when you should add the spices and any vegetables you want.  I liked Kroger's idea of cinnamon and red pepper flakes.  I added a sprinkling of those and a dash of nutmeg.  I love nutmeg to add a subtle sweet/spicy depth to savory dishes, especially when winter squash is involved.  I also added some frozen peas.

Let this simmer for a while and reduce.  Towards the end add a splash of cream and let simmer a few more minutes.  If you wanted this sauce cheesy, add your choice of grated cheese now. 

Can someone tell me why sometimes my pictures are sideways?? Looks right side up when I upload.. I don't understand

 When pasta is done, add it right to the sauce pan.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.  We sprinkled some grated Parmesan on ours.  Seriously delicious!

Farmhouse Gourmet: Homemade pasta with butternut squash tomato sauce

Saturday night at the Thompson's house turned into a gourmet event!  But have no fear, like all my meals, still inexpensive and simple.  I promise!
We had a few of our last tomatoes and a small butternut squash that wasn't going to keep well.  I was thinking something simple for dinner like spaghetti and since it wasdecided to make a sauce with the tomatoes and squash. And, ever since my revelation with the ease and delicous-ness of homemade pasta this past summer, I knew this sauce, and our bellies, deserved this heartiest of noodle.
Start with the squash since it takes longest to cook.  I like to cut the top off from the round bottom before I cut away the skin.  Makes it a little easier and gives it a flat surface to put on cutting board (sorry for lack of pictures, didn't think to post until after!).  Cut the squash into small cubes, the smaller, the faster it will cook.  Get those sauteing on medium heat with olive oil.  While that is cooking, dice up a whole onion and your herbs of choice including a few cloves of garlic.  I was thinking that hardier herbs (sage and rosemary) are good with winter squash and Italian herbs (oregano and basil) since it is pasta sauce. 
Let the squash saute for several minutes and then cover it for a few more minutes to give it a head start before adding the onion, garlic, and herbs (wait to add basil until end since it is more delicate).  Let the onion get a head start before adding the chopped tomatoes.  Deglaze (add liquid to saute pan to remove stuck and delicious food from bottom) with balsamic vinegar or sherry or anything you desire.  Tomatoes will also deglaze with their juice.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

While everything is simmering in the pan, get started on the noodle dough.  A few months ago, I would have been intimidated by this but I promise it is easier and tastier than you think!  There are many recipes out there but I appreciate 'The Pioneer Woman's' recipe on her blog the best.  She breaks the recipe down to 2 eggs per 1 cup of flour so you can make as little or much as you like.  Plus she makes it without a pasta machine however, you can do either way.  Tonight, I decided to try cutting with a knife like Ree instead of using our little pasta maker.  The noodles were extremely fat!  Which is fine, roll it to your liking.
Get a pot of water boiling and add basil to the sauce if you haven't already.  Keep stirring and letting the sauce simmer.
I used 2 cups of flour and 4 eggs, mixing by hand then kneading a little bit on a floured cutting board and rolling it as thin as I could.  Cut the noodles however you want!  Then drop them in the salted boiling water.  They don't take long to cook, rule of thumb is they are done when float to top.  Take them out of the pot with a slotted spoon and add right to your pan of sauce.  Season with salt, pepper, and/or cayenne pepper to taste.  Serve with salad (trust me with noodles like these, you don't need bread!).  Sit down with your loved ones, a candle, and a glass of wine-- Enjoy!