Pumpkin Asiago Cream Sauce Over Halloween Bowtie Pasta

Beaulah doesn't just love sweets, she loves pumpkin too and so

we whipped up this rich, delicious, creamy sauce for a fun

seasonal dinner.

Look at these fun Halloween striped bowtie pasta shapes.

Who could resist those?

Of course Beaulah and I couldn't.

We do a lot of Halloween shopping together and we

looked at these and both agreed that we had to create a dish

featuring these beautiful pasta shapes just in

Beaulah's colors.  

Pumpkin Asiago Cream Sauce Recipe

2 T. butter

2 T. finely chopped onion

1 large clove garlic, minced 

2/3 C. pumpkin puree

pinch freshly grated nutmeg 

2 C. heavy whipping cream

1 C. grated asiago cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

In frying pan melt butter and saute onion until soft, then add the

garlic and saute it until soft.  Be careful not to brown the onion.

Add the pumpkin and nutmeg and heat through.  Pour in the

cream and cook the mixture until thickened, about 5 minutes.  

Stir in the asiago cheese until melted.  Season with salt.

Serve over pasta.

I had some butternut squash in the fridge so I decided to top

the pumpkin sauce with it, but the sauce can easily stand on 

its own.

Sauteed Butternut Squash

2 T. butter

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 C. cubed butternut squash

1/2 tsp. salt

In frying pan melt butter.  Saute the garlic until soft.  Add

the squash and saute until cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Season with salt.

I was so thrilled that the pasta didn't lose its intense colors as it

cooked and it held its shape perfectly too.  Of course this rich

sauce would be wonderful over any pasta but this makes such

a fun seasonal dish.

The fun pasta shapes were found while we were

treasure hunting

at

 Home Goods/TJ Maxx!

They have similar ones in different colors throughout the

year.  Pick them up if you see them.  As a matter of fact,

we love lots of their amazing pastas.  

I will be posting with

On The Menu Monday

Foodie Friday

Butternut Squash & Thyme Ravioli

Knowing how much I love sweets,

if I am drooling while I am typing up this post

for

Butternut Squash & Thyme Ravioli,

you know it was really incredible.

The cover of Woman's Day 

featured this tempting dish.  I admit I bought

the magazine because of the cover recipe!

I went right home and made it, but

having just discovered Buitoni's

mushroom agnolotti this year,

I chose to substitute it for the ravioli.

(You can find it in your grocery's fresh pasta

section, or use cheese ravioli.)

Either fresh from the garden, or 

from 

the grocery store, butternut squash is easy

to peel and cube.  It cooks up in just minutes

when it is cubed this small.

This dish is done from start to finish in

about 15-20 minutes.  We finished and said

that we would have each paid $15 a plate

for this in an Italian restaurant.

Butternut Squash And Thyme Ravioli

 (or Agnolotti)

2 T. olive oil

1/2 medium butternut squash, (about 1 lb.),

peeled, cubed, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I just minced)

1 T. small fresh thyme sprigs (mine stays fresh

in the garden long after the first snow)

2 - 9 oz. pkg. mushroom agnolotti or

cheese ravioli

1/4 C. grated parmesano reggiano

additional parmesan to shave

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick fry pan and add

the cubed squash.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Place heat on medium and cover, stirring

occasionally for 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme and cook uncovered

stirring occasionally until squash is tender

and browned for about 2-3 more minutes.

Meanwhile cook the desired filled pasta

according to package directions, being sure

to have the heat on medium so the filling

doesn't come out of the pasta.

Drain the pasta when it is done.  Place it

on a serving plate and top with the sauteed

squash and the grated cheese.

Serves 5-6

Shave additional parmesan cheese over 

the top of the pasta before serving.

I bought this beautiful majolica

in Deruta, Italy.  I was smitten by the 

snake handles 

and fortunately they made it home intact.

I can't believe I am still drooling!  

You have to try this one.  Look for

the agnolotti!  They make the dish

OVER THE TOP!

I will be sharing this fall dish

with

Seasonal Sunday

On The Menu Monday

Foodie Friday