Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 medium-sized shallot or small onion, minced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 oz. pumpkin puree
• 3/4 c. chicken stock
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/3 c. parmesan cheese
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 c. diced parsley
• Dash of cinnamon

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic; cook for 2-3 minutes, until shallots are tender.

2. Reduce heat to low and stir in the pumpkin puree. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Slowly add parmesan and stir until melted. Then simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the parsley. Serve over pasta.

This is more of a fall flavor dish, but I love to enjoy fall any time of the year.

From the Garden

Now that we have a proper backyard, we have a garden full of little plants that give us hope for future bountiful meals. The first plants to be harvested is SPINACH. Tyler has been craving my creamy spinach dip, so I gathered some dark leaves of spinach and melted them into creamy dip.

Creamy Spinach Dip (Half Recipe—this is good for 2‒4 people)
1/2 onion (diced)
1 clove of garlic
1 lb of spinach (cleaned and trimmed)
1/4 cup milk
3 oz of cream cheese
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella
(chips, bread-sticks, baguettes to serve with)

Preheat oven to 425°. Lightly oil (with olive oil) a shallow baking dish. In a pot on medium ad onion and garlic til lightly browned (5‒8 min.)  Add spinach in additions. Let batches wilt before adding the next. Cook until completely wilted (5‒9 min.) Drain, pressing out all the excess liquid. In that emptied pot, warm milk over high heat. Whisk in cream cheese (3 min.) Add spinach mixture, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup mozzarella, stir and seas with salt and pepper. Pour into the oiled pan. Bake until bubbly about 20 minutes.