Baked Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Pasta with Bacon

What do you get when you combine pasta with bacon + goat cheese + pumpkin?  Perfect winter comfort food at it's best!  This dish was so good and best of all, it was a cinch to make. 

*Recipe adapted from the September / October issue of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. pasta (I used cavatappi)

- 4 Tbsp. butter

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 shallots, minced

- 2 cups heavy whipping cream

- 1 cup milk (I used skim)

- 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper

- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped

Toppings:

- 12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled

- 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and shallots and cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes.  Add the next six ingredients.  Reduce heat to low.  Cook, stirring constantly, until reduced, 6-8 minutes.  Add sage and remove from heat.

3.  Drain pasta and stir into sauce until combioned.  Transfer mixture to a baking dish.  Top with bacon, goat cheese, and Parmesan.  Bake, covered, for 15 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for 5 minutes more or until cheeses are melted.

Enjoy!

  

I really liked this one - It's been added to the regular pasta rotation list!

Orecchiette with Green Olives, Capers and Breadcrumbs

I loved this pasta so much I've already made it twice - It's definitely getting added to the list of regulars on rotation.  The flavors are unique and robust and of course I love all the pretty green ingredients.

{Recipe adapted from this one from Bon Appetit}

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 1/4 cup panko or plain breadcrumbs

- Salt & freshly ground black pepper

- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

- 12 ounces orecchiette or pasta of your choice

- 5 oil-packed anchovy fillets

- 2 cloves garlic

- 1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

- 2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced

- 3 tablespoons drained capers

- 1/2 ounce freshly grated Parmesan, plus additional for serving

- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.  Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil in small skillet over medium heat and add breadcrumbs, stirring until golden, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.  Remove from heat and toss with dill and lemon zest.  Set aside.

2.  Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked al dente.  Drain and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water.

3.  Meanwhile, using a chef's knife mash garlic cloves and anchovy on a cutting board to create a paste.  In a medium bowl, add paste, parsley, basil, 1/2 of the olives, and 1/2 of the capers.  Chop the remaining olives and capers and add to bowl along with remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil.

4.  After draining pasta, return to cooking pan.  Add sauce and 1/4 cup of reserved cooking water.  Toss and slowly add Parmesan and stir.  Add additional cooking water if needed until sauce coats pasta.  Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

5.  Serve pasta topped with breadcrumbs and additional breadcrumbs.

Spaghetti with Lemon & Olive Oil

Lemon in pasta always reminds me of my visits to the Island of Capri and the Amalfi Coast in Italy, where lemons are as big as grapefruit and lemon is the most popular flavor in everything (Hello, limoncello).

{Beautiful Capri}

What I loved about this pasta is the simplicity of it - It's so quick and easy to make and only requires a few ingredients.

(Recipe from Smitten Kitchen; find original here)

Ingredients:

- 1 pound linguine or spaghetti 

- 3 lemons

- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish

- 1/4 cup heavy cream

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish

- Black pepper & salt to taste

- large handful of fresh basil, shredded

Directions:

1.  Cook pasta in large pot until cooked al dente.

2.  While pasta is cooking, zest lemons until you have about a tablespoon.  Next, juice lemons (I put mine in the microwave for about 30 seconds before juicing to get more juice).  You should have around 1/3 to 1/2 cup of juice.

3.  Drain pasta and reserve 1-1/2 cups pasta water.  Keep pasta in colander and in the pot you used to cook pasta, boil olive oil, cream, zest, and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water for two minutes over high heat.  Return pasta to pot and stir until coated.  Add the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of lemon juice.  Toss, and toss, and toss until cheese is melted and juice incorporated.  Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time if your pasta is too dry.  Taste pasta and add more lemon juice if desired.  Stir in basil (reserving some for garnish).  Season with salt & pepper.

4.  Serve immediately.  Garnish with a splash of olive oil, remaining Parmesan, and basil.  Enjoy!

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Chicken Sausage, and Pesto

I planted Brussels sprouts in my raised bed garden this year and waited patiently all summer for them to grow.  Last weekend I was able to pick a whole bunch of them to use in this delicious pasta dish.  They were fantastic!  I loved this pasta and it was the perfect way to enjoy my homegrown Brussels sprouts.

Isn't the shape of this pasta delicious?

Here are the Brussels sprouts growing in the garden.  Isn't it cool how they grow on a long stalk?  Lots of time at the market, I see the whole stalk for sale, but I only picked the largest sprouts at the bottom, and hopefully the smaller ones near the top will keep growing.  

All ready to go into the oven for roasting...

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Chicken Sausage, and Pesto

- 1 lb of fresh Brussels sprouts; cut in half.  Remove any outer yellow leaves

- Extra virgin olive oil

- salt

- pepper

- 1 lb pasta of your choice

- 4 fully-cooked chicken sausage links (flavor of your choice; I used an Italian style flavor), sliced

- 3 cloves garlic; minced

- 1/2 cup pesto (prepared, or make your own)

- freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet lined with foil or a silpat mat in a single layer.  Roast for 10-20 minutes.  Roasting time will depend on the size of your Brussels sprouts.  Stir halfway through cooking.

2.  While Brussels sprouts are in the oven, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium low heat.  Add garlic and cook for a minute or until fragrant.  Add pasta, Brussels sprouts, sausage, and pesto to skillet.  Stir and cook over low heat until sausage is heated through.  If mixture seems dry, add reserved pasta water until desired consistency.

4.  Serve immediately and top with shredded Parmesan, if desired.

{ Recipe adapted from this one at Gimme Some Oven }

I decided this pasta would be best enjoyed with a glass of vino.  Perfect Sunday dinner :)

If you like Brussels sprouts, I think you will love this dish - It was the perfect Fall meal.  I'm off to the garden to check on the rest of my Brussels sprouts.  I can't wait to use more in another recipe!

One Pot Thai Pasta Bowl

If you like Thai - you will love this dish!  And, it couldn't be simpler.  It's a one pot meal - place all the ingredients together in one pot, cook for 10 minutes, and enjoy.  It's doesn't get much easier than that!  I made this on a Friday night after a long week at work, and it was perfect.

(Recipe adapted from this one at Your Cup of Cake)

One Pot Thai Pasta Bowl

- 12 oz. pasta (spaghetti or linguine; uncooked)

- 4 cups vegetable stock or broth

- 1/2 cup water

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 2" section of ginger root; cut into 1/2" long pieces

- 1 large carrot, sliced into 2" long slices

- 1 red bell pepper; sliced into 2" long slices

- 6 green onions; sliced lengthwise and into 2" long pieces

- 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, plus additional for garnish

- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy)

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon red curry paste (I found this in a tiny jar in the Asian section of my grocery store)

- Juice of 1 lime

- Lime wedges, for garnish

- Fresh cilantro, for garnish

1.  Add all ingredients (except for lime juice, lime wedges, and cilantro) to a medium size stock pot.  Place on stove and bring to a boil over medium / high heat.  Reduce heat to medium / low, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  If all of liquid is not yet absorbed, cover and let sit, about 5 minutes.  Remove ginger pieces and discard.  Stir in lime juice.

2.  Dish out pasta and top with chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro for garnish.  Enjoy!

I really loved this dish - I'm putting it on my regular meal rotation list.

One Pot Pasta with Basil & Cherry Tomatoes

 

These days, I'm pretty much surviving on tomatoes and basil.  Seriously.  My garden is bursting with both and it's fantastic.  I had a bunch of cherry tomatoes to use and was excited to come across this recipe - a delicious way to use a good 3 cups of them! 

 

One Pot Pasta with Basil & Cherry Tomatoes

- 3 to 3-1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes

- 1 medium onion, sliced thin

- 4 garlic cloves, minced

- large handful of basil leaves, torn or cut into small pieces

- 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

- 12 oz. of pasta

- 4-1/4 cups water

- fresh Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping

 

Add all ingredients to a large stock pot.  Heat on stove until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes or until pasta tastes done, tossing often with tongs.  Even if all of the water is not absorbed, remove from heat, cover and let additional liquid absorb.  Dish out and top with Parmesan.  Enjoy!

 

{ Original recipe is from Martha Stewart - I found it here at Barefeet in the Kitchen }

 

 

This pasta is surprisingly creamy for not having any type of cream in it.  The tomatoes cook down and create a delicious sauce and flavor.  And really, does it get much easier than one pot?