Fall for It: Creamy Pumpkin Sauce with Pancetta and Baby Greens

Earlier this month, I was thinking it was too soon to talk about pumpkin or anything #PSL (I'm looking at you, Starbucks). Yet one day, as I held a package of dainty porcini mushroom ravioli, I suddenly found myself craving a creamy pumpkin sauce to go with them. I don't know where this came from - I've never had pasta with a pumpkin sauce before - but I knew I had to make it. Did I know how? No, but that didn't stop me. Did I fall for all that pumpkin advertising? Yep, I sure did!

Creamy Pumpkin Sauce with Pancetta and Baby Greens
Olive oil
Two garlic cloves, minced
4-5 oz. diced pancetta
Ground nutmeg, to taste (optional)
Fresh or dried rosemary and sage, to taste (optional)
5 oz. baby greens (like spinach, Swiss chard, arugula)
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz. filled pasta (ravioli, tortellini, or other; gnocchi would also work here nicely)


In a large saucepan over medium heat, drizzle in about two Tablespoons of olive oil, and add minced garlic and pancetta. Saute for a few minutes, and add nutmeg and herbs, if using. Continue to saute gently, stirring often, until pancetta is crispy on the edges and has rendered most of its fat (cover pan with lid to help this process along). Add baby greens and cook until wilted, then stir in pumpkin puree and cream cheese. Keep stirring to combine and heat all the way through, then turn off heat.

In a medium pan, cook pasta according to package directions (omitting salt) until just done. Turn heat on low under sauce, then scoop out and add pasta to sauce, adding as much pasta water as needed to thin sauce to desired consistency (I like mine quite thick, but you may want a looser sauce). Stir to combine and remove from heat. Server and enjoy!

Notes: You could certainly substitute sliced mushrooms for the pancetta if you prefer not to have meat; likewise, you could substitute cooked cannellini beans or cooked diced/shredded chicken for the pasta. Butternut or acorn squash puree would also be lovely here instead of pumpkin. The cream cheese works really well, but I bet an herbed goat cheese would be fabulous!

>o<

Puttin' on the Dogs: Corndog Casserole

I really like good hot dogs—the kind that are natural, uncured, and free of nitrates and nitrites, just like the bacon I've mentioned previously. Yes, they're on the expensive side, but they taste exactly the way a hot dog should taste: delicious! So if you happen to be feeding a crowd, make life easy and serve them in a casserole. It's no coincidence this is easy to transport, too:

Corndog Casserole

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoons honey
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup stone ground cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Several grindings of black pepper
1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
8 hot dogs, chopped or cut into halves (natural, nitrate and nitrite free—local and organic if you can find them!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and honey together, then add eggs and stir. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, mustard, salt, rosemary, cheese and pepper. Stir half the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, blend in the half and half, then add the remaining dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan, then scatter or place hot dogs across the top, pressing in slightly. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly and serve with mustard, ketchup and relish—or whatever you like best with hot dogs!

Notes: Definitely include some kind of fresh herb in the mix, even if you don't have rosemary—chives or thyme would be excellent here, either on their own or in combination. For a more breakfast-themed casserole, substitute fully-cooked breakfast sausages for the hot dogs, and serve warm with real maple syrup.

>o<

Can-Can: Canned Salmon and White Bean Salad

This Winter has definitely been a challenge, including when it comes to food—not only did the endlessly bitter-cold days curb my appetite, I sometimes couldn't get out to the store even if I had been hungry. Thankfully, I try to keep some high-protein canned goods in my pantry, and one day I was able to pull together this tangy, filling salad to tempt my stomach:

Salmon and White Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 can (6 oz.) boneless, skinless salmon, drained and flaked
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, gently toss salmon and beans together with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard and tarragon; close tightly and shake until emulsified. Pour over salad and mix to combine—taste for seasoning and adjust if desired. Serve with veggie sticks, crackers, chips, or over baby greens. This will be great alongside a juicy, ripe tomato in the Summer!

Notes: Cannellini beans are my favorite, but use whatever beans you enjoy most. You can also substitute your favorite vinegar for the champagne vinegar, your favorite herb for the tarragon, and certainly canned tuna for the salmon. I wasn't fussy about measuring the ingredients for the dressing, so just go by eye—you can always add more of something if needed afterwards. Please do add some finely chopped onion/scallions, celery, or bell pepper for more flavor and crunch (I just didn't have any in the house that day).

>o<