Thursday, October 6, 2011

This One's For You...

I think this recipe came from a dream or something. I'm not really sure, but it's strangely been on my mind for quite some time now, ever since I had some leftover canned pumpkin that I wanted to use. I'm not much of a baker, so the traditional fall desserts didn't strike my fancy, but pasta goes with everything! Or so I hoped! I now know that it definitely goes well with pumpkin...and candied pecans...and cheese....and parsley...mmmm. I must confess, though, that I was really nervous about making this last night because I had a terrible cooking day yesterday. I do a lot of cooking at work, and my attempt at meatballs ended up as slop in the garbage disposal. I hate throwing food away, so that was a big bummer. Nonetheless, I forged ahead...and I'm glad I did because this recipe just worked! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I must say that prep is essential for this because everything kind of happens quickly and at the same time. I found it helpful to have 3 different pans going at once. And I divided up every ingredient that was going into each pan and set them right next to the pan.
The Elements:
Candied Pecans:
1/2 c. Chopped Pecans
2 Tbls. Maple Syrup
In a small fry pan, over medium heat, toss the syrup and pecans together, stirring often until the syrup is absorbed and the nuts get roasted and sticky. Remove from burner and let cool. 
Pumpkin Sauce:
2 Tbls. Butter
1 c. Canned Pumpkin
3/4 to 1 c. Half-n-Half
dash of Cinnamon
1/2 Tbls. Maple Syrup
In a small saucepan, add butter over medium low heat. Stir continuously until butter begins to brown. Be careful not to overcook, or the butter will burn. Once the butter browns, add the half-n-half and pumpkin and stir to combine. Add the Cinnamon and Syrup and stir. You may have to adjust the amounts of cream and pumpkin to achieve the texture you want. I wanted mine smooth, so I added more cream as necessary. I also tasted it often and adjusted the amount of sweetness I wanted, so feel free to experiment.
Pasta:
Stuffed Cheese Ravioli that you get in the refrigerator section
1 Tbls. Oil (to prevent sticking)
Chopped Fresh Parsley & Parmesan Cheese for garnish
Cook the pasta according to package directions, making sure to add the oil so the pasta doesn't stick. Once finished, toss pasta with the Pumpkin Sauce. Serve on a plate and top with the Pecans, Parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

I would like to say "Thank You" for reading this and for faithfully checking back!! I am sorry that I left you hanging, left you to stare at the same old recipes for weeks with no new inspiration! I hope you have found some yummy new things to cook. Life kind of got away from me for a bit, but I've wrangled it back and will try to make it up to you with 2 new posts, both of which are delicious!! Still not satisfied?? What if I told you I made up one of the recipes myself with you in mind!?! That's right! You mean that much to me!!!

Well, this recipe is really more of a technique, but I think it's soooo delicious every time! I have only recently discovered the technique of roasting veggies, but it has become one of my favorite ways to cook vegetables. Throw in fresh whole mushrooms...oh man! You found my weakness:-) It's also a great way to use up stuff in the fridge, so have fun!

Toss all the chopped veggies in some olive oil (or you could get fancy and try some fun flavored oils!), add a sprinkle of Salt and Pepper, and finish with a good helping of freshly chopped Rosemary (or your favorite herb). Bake at 400 degrees until the veggies are tender and starting to get that yummy roasting smell that makes you close your eyes and take a deep breath! They're done!