Dinner for One, Pumpkin Pasta

It's guys night. The golf simulator was calling. So it's dinner for one tonight. And when I'm not obligated to put meat in the meal I generally skip it. So tonight, pumpkin pasta with blue cheese sounded fab!

First off, I inherited some pie pumpkins last fall. To save time my mom and I cooked and pureed them all at once. We then separated them into plastic baggies and threw them in the freezer of they are ready to use on a night like tonight! You can totally use canned pumpkin puree. Or butternut squash puree! In fact, my original plan was to use squash, but my freezer only offered pumpkin. In general, I use the two interchangeably.

Sauce time. Heat a small drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a sauce pan. Add half an onion, diced, and two cloves of garlic, minced, and cook until softened. Sprinkle in some fresh or dried herbs and a bit of crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. If your onion starts to brown add a splash or two of chicken broth or water. Stir in the pumpkin puree and let it bubble over low heat for a few minutes. Season to taste. Done!

And this one didn't do anything to help...

Meanwhile... cook some pasta. I chose some whole wheat bowties this time around. Drain them and return to the pot. Add the sauce and stir it all up!

Dish it up, add some crumbled blue cheese, sliced almonds (or chopped walnuts) and some fresh cracked pepper. Ready to eat!

Recipe: Pumpkin Pasta
Ingredients -
1Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Medium yellow onion, diced
2 Cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 Tsp Dried herbs
1/2 Tsp Crushed red pepper
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Chicken broth, if needed
2 Cups Pumpkin puree (or butternut squash puree)

1/2 Pound Pasta, cooked according to package instructions

Crumbled Blue Cheese
Slivered almonds (or chopped walnuts)
Fresh cracked pepper

Heat oil and butter in sauce pan. Add onion, garlic, herbs, red pepper, salt and pepper and cook until onions are soft, adding broth if necessary. Add pumpkin and simmer 5 minutes over low heat. Serve over pasta. Top with cheese, nuts and pepper.

 I always make extra for leftovers!