Penne With Pumpkin Sauce

I know I said that we do not eat pasta often, but lately I have found some pasta recipes we actually really enjoy! So I might be posting a few more pasta dinners over the next few months. At first glance this recipe did not sound like something I would normally make, but I thought I would give it a try. It turned out to be amazing! It is also a very affordable dinner. Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and pasta kind of sound weird together, but I promise you it will be a huge hit! I hope you step out of your comfort zone and give it a try!

Penne with Pumpkin Sauce

 

Penne With Pumpkin Sauce

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 onion, chopped fine

1 red bell pepper, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup canned solid-packed pumpkin

1 cup chicken broth

½ cup water

2 Tbsp heavy cream

dash of Ground Nutmeg

¼ tsp Ground Ginger

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Salt & Pepper to taste

½ pound penne pasta

3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Over moderate heat, melt butter in a large deep skillet. Add onion, pepper and garlic, stirring until softened. Stir in pumpkin, broth, water, cream, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, cook the penne in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add penne to the sauce, cook the mixture over moderate heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring and thinning the sauce as desired with the reserved cooking water. Stir in parsley. Remove from heat. Divide between 2 plates and top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi

Sorry I am posting my recipe of the week so late this week! I didn't make this recipe until last night and I would never post a recipe that I had not tested first. So here it is! Peter and I are not big fans of pasta or Italian food. However, Peter had a Gnocchi soup a few weeks ago at The Olive Garden. It was his first time eating Potato Gnocchi and he really liked it. So when we were shopping at Sam's Club last week we bought a 3 pound package of Potato Gnocchi, hence, the following recipe! For those of you who do not know what gnocchi is, I will give you a very basic explanation. 

Gnocchi: In Italy, dumplings are collectively known as gnocchi and are made in several different styles. The most common way to prepare gnocchi is to combine potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed) with flour to form soft bite-size lumps of dough. Each gnocchi is ridged along one side. This gives the sauce a surface to cling to when eating. Most gnocchi recipes require cooking similar to pasta, but quicker. There are several varieties of pre-made gnocchi in supermarkets. Gnocchi goes well with just about any sauce and can be served in place of a pasta dish.

I hope you all enjoy this dish as much as we did! It is a great alternative to pasta!

Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi

Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi 

1 pound refrigerated Gnocchi

5 cups fresh spinach

1 pkg. mushrooms, sliced

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

4 Tbsp. Shallots, chopped, divided

8 ounces Fontina Cheese, cubed

1/2-cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook as package directs. Drain and set aside. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add 2 Tablespoons of shallots and sauté for a few minutes. Then add mushrooms and sauté until almost tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Set aside. Start the sauce. Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter (Be sure to use unsalted butter. Otherwise it will turn out too salty.) in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes, until tender. Stir in cream and heat to almost boiling. Gradually mix in Fontina and Parmesan cheeses being careful not to boil. Stir until smooth. Place gnocchi, spinach and mushrooms into a large serving dish. Spoon the sauce over them. Enjoy!