Made my first trip to the pumpkin patch this season! I was in search of the perfect pumpkin to eat rather than carve this time. I’ve never baked with a real pumpkin so it was the first thing on my list this Fall :) I was a little unsure about which kind of pumpkins are the ones you want to cook with, but the internet told me to look for the smaller, brighter ones that have a good stem and no serious blemishes or bruises. I picked two pretty ones and whipped up some homemade pumpkin puree. Which, by the way, is so much more simple than I had anticipated. Not to mention quite gratifying — Nico loves pumpkin puree and giving him a spoon full of the fresh stuff instead of something out of a can felt pretty special. ( yes, he’s spoiled but is there really any other option? ) Anyway, before feeding it all to my dog I made Pumpkin and Sage Alfredo Sauce. Yum! Check out the recipe and photos below and make some for yourself this fall! You won’t regret it :)

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients :

– sugar pumpkin

– parchment paper (optional)

– pre heated oven to 350° F

How – to :

– carefully cut the stem off and slice pumpkin in half

– scoop out all the seeds like you would for a jack-o-lantern

– place on a baking sheet face up so that the flesh is facing upward

– bake for 30 – 45 mins

– remove from oven and let cool

– peel of the skin and cut the meat of the pumpkin into small chunks

– put in a food processor and blend until smooth

Pumpkin and Sage Alfredo

Ingredients :

– 1 C (homemade) pumpkin puree

– 2 cloves of garlic, minced

– 1 t olive oil

– 2 T butter

– half a pint of heavy cream

– 1 C grated parmesan

– 1 T fresh sage, + some for garnishing

– 1 T fresh thyme

– salt and pepper to taste

How – to :

– heat oil, butter and garlic in a sauce pan

– once garlic is a light golden color add pumpkin puree and cream

– stir thoroughly and bring to a simmer

– add parmesan, herbs and salt and pepper

– allow cheese to melt and let it simmer for 5 minutes

– remove from heat, toss with your fav pasta and enjoy!