Pumpkin, Cream Cheese and Butternut Squash Pasta

Today as I write this, I am in my mind trying to gear up for the day. It's going to be a very busy day. First I've got to get this house cleaned for thanksgiving, I have to go and buy the remaining ingredients for thanksgiving dinner, shop for by daughters birthday gifts and stop by the doctor to hopefully get some meds for my sore throat, ugh! I can't be sick for thanksgiving, that just will not do. Like many of us, I have to many people depending on me this thanksgiving, so I have to knock out this cold soon. No time to be sick.

The one thing I am looking forward to is sharing all about this Pumpkin and Butternut squash pasta recipe. Last week I stopped by my Ralph's supermarket, and this lovely lady was cooking this pasta dish and handing out samples and I must say it was one of  the most tasty pasta's I've ever had.

I usually eat pumpkin in mostly sweet dishes, and I've never had pumpkin in a savory dish until now. But now I am a believer. I went a bit further and tweaked the recipe a bit by adding some wonderful butternut squash to give it some extra healthy fall flavor and some cream cheese for an extra creamy texture with a flavor that can't be beat!

So while I am trying to put my house/health together, please enjoy the pasta:)

1-15oz Canned pumpkin

4 oz Puréed butternut squash

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Cup milk

1-8oz Cream cheese block cubed

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 Teaspoon onion powder

1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Whole egg

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

16 oz Penne pasta 

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on package. In a medium saucepan , melt a tablespoons of butter and add pumpkin, butternut squash, milk and cream cheese. 

Cook on medium-low until cheese is melted and well incorporated. Add in one egg by tempering into sauce (whisk egg in a small bowl, then add a spoonful of warmed sauce in to egg and stir.)  Add tempered egg into sauce and stir to combine. 

Add garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and stir.

 If it seems a little dry, add a bit more milk to desired consistency. Add drained pasta to sauce and combine to coat. 

Add in Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Serve with a sprinkle of more Parmesan.

Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate

Well Halloween is two days and things are in full swing here at our house. The kids will be hogwarts students and we will be doing our annual tradition of eating Halloween goodies, watching Halloween specials on T.V. And handing  out candy to the neighborhood kids.

I whipped up a special Halloween drink that my kids went crazy for. It's so warm and chocolaty. It is made with white chocolate and pumpkin flavored 

Coffee creamer. I livened it up with some Halloween food colors and sprinkles to add more fun. My son told me I have to make this drink every Halloween, but I think it can be made anytime of year.  It is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages. 

Pumpkin white hot chocolate  

Ingredients

4 cups of milk 

4 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice flavored coffee creamer

1 tsp. vanilla extract

8 oz. white chocolate chips

whipped cream for topping

Combine milk, white chocolate chips and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat. Add flavored coffee creamer and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the white hot chocolate comes to a simmer, chocolate is melted and is warmed through. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

For garnish add whipped cream, sprinkles, and a licorice stick.

I added a few drops of green and orange food coloring in mug to add Halloween effect.

Yummy Pumpkin Sausage Pancakes

Yay! Pumpkin season is here! I will be making all kinds of goodies and snacks

That involve Halloween and pumpkins.

I love Halloween. It is I feel my favorite holiday, because it is all about fun, food and dressing up!

I have always wanted to try making pumpkin pancakes and today I thought I might add sausage in the pancake as it cooks. It gave the pancake such a yummy goodness that my kids could not stop eating!

I can't wait for Halloween to get here. The eating, trick-or-treating, the costumes, It's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown!

So here is a great pancake recipe to kick off the month of fun! 

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 links breakfast sausage

Begin by chopping up sausage links and cook in a pan on medium-high heat until

Browned, then remove from heat, drain fat and set sausage bits aside. In a large bowl combine flour,sugars, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl add eggs, pumpkin purée, vanilla extract, and milk, mix well then add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

heat a skillet over medium heat. I cook in batches, by pouring batter by 1/3 cupfuls into skillet. I then place four or five bits of cooked sausage on surface of batter in skillet.  Cook until you see bubbles form on surface of pancakes and bottoms are browned. this takes about  1 minutes per side.

These pancakes were a hit with the family! The sausage gave the pancakes a salty-sweet flavor!

Pumpkin Spice Rice Pudding

I love rice pudding! I can eat it as a meal! I like to keep this recipe simple, just adding a few subtle changes. I am feeling very pumpkin lovin these days, so I am going to add some pumpkin pie spice to give me that flavor I love!

I had some leftover rice, so I threw some in a saucepan.

I added butter, brown sugar vanilla, and whole milk.

This is gonna be good, I can feel it!

Stir to combine and let her cook!

When it starts to bubble a little, I add 1/2 teaspoon

Pumpkin Pie Spice!

I tempered the egg yokes by adding some hot pudding

In bowl a little bit at a time and stir in-between.

Adding a bit more.

There. I think that's good enough!

Slowly pour mixture into pudding.

See how the color changes a bit?

My daughter is helping out. See!

Mmmm it's getting thick and creamy!

I add another pat of butter cuz that's how we roll!

Looks good!

This was so good, I could not stop eating!

Ingredients:

3 cups white rice, cooked

3 cups milk

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

2 egg yokes

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice , divided

Directions:

Combine cooked rice, milk, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan. Add vanilla. Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes stirring frequently, make sure it does not scorch, so check heat and stir often until most of the liquid is absorbed. When it starts to bubble a bit, I added in 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. In a small bowl or measuring cup, beat egg yokes then begin taking small ladles or spoonfuls of pudding mixture, and add it to beaten egg yokes, I spoonful at a time to temper the eggs and not scramble them. After adding about four big spoonfuls, add egg yoke mixture to pot with rice pudding. The eggs will make this pudding extra creamy!

Stir to combine mixture and let cook another 3-5 minutes. Spoon pudding into a dish or bowl and sprinkle with a bit more pumpkin pie spice. Serve chilled or at room temperature. I can eat mine warm, right out of the pot!