Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Waffles

Nevermind that I have salsa recipes from the summer to still post, let's move right along to fall with these waffles!!  I have been waiting to make these for a couple weeks.  I LOVE just about everything the fall brings, especially pumpkin chocolate chip.  One of my favorite combos.  These are pretty much my regular buttermilk waffles, with a little extra fall punch, so not a ton of work.  These are perfect for Sunday brunch with friends or family because they make a HUGE plateful.  But even if you don't have company, they keep really well.  I like to just throw them in the freezer and pull them out when we want them.  When you're ready to eat, just toss them in the toaster and they'll warm up nice and good.  I like to serve them with pumpkin maple syrup or cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. Sometimes I even sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of the batter in the waffle iron.  (If you do this, make sure you spray it with cooking spray so it doesn't stick.)


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Waffles
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp.  unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips

Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly. Preheat waffle iron.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, pumpkin, vanilla, sugar and egg yolks. Slowly whisk in melted butter. In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining dry ingredients then gently stir them in with the wet ingredients until just incorporated.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, gently fold them into the batter until almost incorporated, add the chocolate chips then fold in a few more times.  NOTE: Egg whites do not have to be completely incorporated, just mostly.

Pour batter onto waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's directions.  Serve with choice of toppings: pumpkin maple syrup, syrup, cinnamon sugar, or powdered sugar.


Pumpkin Maple Syrup:
4 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
6 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
splash of vanilla
pinch of cinnamon

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Cider Glaze

Cinnamon rolls and soup. Yep, that's what I start craving when it starts getting cold and gloomy outside.  I think I've already made cinnamon rolls like four times in the past couple of months!!  Luckily I have great neighbors that are willing to take them off my hands so I don't eat them all!

You probably remember reading last month on my facebook page that I like to try new kinds of cinnamon rolls every October.  Pumpkin rolls definitely AREN'T a new concept but I can't believe I haven't made them until now and let me tell you I may just have to make them again. Soon.

I had some fresh apple cider in the fridge so decided to use that in the glaze but if you don't have any, feel free to use any of the options I listed at the end of the post.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
for the dough:
5 cups flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2-3/4 cup whole milk

for the filling:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 cup chopped pecans, plus more for garnish

for the glaze:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup apple cider (fresh is best)
2-4 Tbsp. whole milk
~ 4 cups powdered sugar
pinch of apple pie spice


To prepare the dough, place flour, yeast, sugar, salt and spices in a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook.  Pulse to combine.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, pumpkin and milk and add to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.  Mix on medium speed for about a minute, then check to see if dough looks right (it should be a little sticky, more so than bread, but not incredibly and definitely NOT dry).  Mix for about 5 minutes.  Remove dough and place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.

Divide dough in half and roll out into a long rectangle.  Mix together filling ingredients, except pecans.  Spread half of the butter across the dough, leaving about an inch on the upper edge.  Sprinkle half of the filling over the dough and about half a cup of pecans.  Roll dough away from you, stopping at the edge to pull it over towards you and sealing it shut.  Slice into about 1-inch slices either with a knife or a clean piece of floss. Place rolls into prepared pans. Repeat with other half of dough and filling.

*Grease your pans.  Depending on what kind of pans you use and how thick you cut your rolls will determine how many pans you need.  I used 4 9-inch rounds and a lasagna-size tray this time. 

Cover rolls with a light tea towel and allow to rise until almost doubled.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and bake rolls for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Allow rolls to cool.  Prepare frosting.  Whisk together butter, cider, milk,  pie spice and enough powdered sugar to reach desired consistency; start with 4 cups.  Slather on cooled rolls and garnish with extra chopped pecans, if desired.


*For an alternate frosting, substitute the apple cider for milk, omit the apple pie spice and add either vanilla or maple extract. OR, you could also substitute cream cheese for the butter if you prefer cream cheese frosting.

Squash Soup with Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

I have finally found THE squash soup! I have been searching high and low for a squash soup that I really enjoy.  I have made several over the years that just were bland and boring and I did not care to ever make them again.  I think I love this soup so much because It's not just the typical squash and broth.  The carrots, sweet potato and apple really add to the flavor and it's just lovely.  Although pepitas are delicious and my favorite garnish, you could also garnish with a little pureed chipotle in adobo, creme fraiche, smoked cheese or even some fresh parsley or cilantro.

Squash Soup with Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 pounds hard winter squash/pumpkin, peeled and chopped (I used 2 sugar pumpkins)*

1 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 crisp apple, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. paprika

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of ground cinnamon

salt and pepper

4 cups chicken/veggie stock

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. lemon or orange juice

 

In a large stock pot, drizzle a good amount of olive oil (2-3 Tbsp.) and heat over medium-high heat.  Add onion, squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add apple, garlic and ginger, as well as the cumin, paprika, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Cook for about a minute or so.  Add chicken or veggie stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until very tender. 

Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. You can also puree in batches in a blender or food processor.  Check for seasonings and add salt/pepper and honey to your liking.  Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon or orange juice in the soup right at the very end.

Serve warm and garnish as desired:
1-2 tsp. chipotle in adobo (pureed)
creme fraiche
pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)**
smoked cheddar or other smoked cheese
chopped cilantro or parsley


*Sometimes it is difficult to peel hard winter squash.  Alternately, you can split the squash/pumpkin in half, remove seeds and bake on cookie sheet, cut side down, until tender.  Allow to cool slightly and scrape out flesh from skin.  Add to soup near the end when ready to puree.

**To toast pumpkin seeds, make sure you have the green ones to begin with.  Add a tiny bit of olive oil to a small skillet, a handful of seeds and a pinch of salt.  Toast over medium heat, gently moving them around to prevent burning, until they start popping and turning golden.


SOURCE: Lightly adapted from Rachael Ray

Pepita Granola and Pumpkin Butter

If you like granola, you're in for a treat for today's post! I daresay that this has become my favorite granola...ever...I think. I first discovered it last fall, when I fell in love with it. Then I waited all the way until this fall to make it again, don't ask my why. Maybe because it seems strange to eat pumpkin other than during pumpkin season.

I usually eat my granola on top of some plain yogurt, but I couldn't resist mixing it together with some pumpkin butter to take it over the top. If you've never heard of or had pumpkin butter, it's pretty similar to apple butter in that you let it cook down with some sugar and spices. It's very easy to make and very tasty, but you only need a dollop because it packs a spice-packed punch.

If you have a hard time finding the nuts and dried fruit that you want, try shopping where they have a bulk foods section. I usually buy all my ingredients to make any kind of granola from the bulk section at my local WinCo. They are also less expensive there as well and you can just buy the quantity that you want.

You can also experiment with dried fruit by drying your own, especially if you have a dehydrator. I like to buy boxes of fruit, in season, to can and dry to use throughout the rest of the year. This year I got about 40 lbs. of delicious pears; you wouldn't believe how yummy they are dried! I'll hopefully be doing apples soon as well.

Pepita Granola
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup ground flax seed (optional)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups nuts and seeds (I used about 1/2 cup each of sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, and green (hulled) pumpkin seeds-not roasted)
2-3 cups mixed dried fruit (I used pears and cranberries; you could also use apricots, cherries, raisins, apples, figs, or whatever else you want.)
1/4 cup coconut oil (or other oil)
1/4 cup mild honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch salt
splash of vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, cereal, flax meal, coconut and nuts. In a microwave safe bowl, gently melt the oil and honey; add the sugar, applesauce, cinnamon, salt and vanilla and stir until incorporated. Pour over the dry mixture and stir until it's evenly coated.

Spread granola over two cookie sheets and bake about 15-25 minutes, until lightly golden, stirring every 5 minutes. Stir in dried fruit. Let granola cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.


Pumpkin Butter
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin, or about 3 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Juice of half a lemon

Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to taste. Stir in lemon juice, or more to taste.

Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge


SOURCE: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

See, I can make healthy things! I swore after I made that pan of brownies the other night that that would be it until Thanksgiving. NO TREATS! I do have an ice cream post waiting to go up but I made it a few weeks ago so it doesn't count. So, if you see anything other than that between now and then, you'll know I'M CHEATING!

Anyway, on to this pesto. So yummy. I had been going through the Whole Foods Market blog and this was one of the first things I bookmarked. I liked the whole pumpkin seed thing because, you know, it's fall and pumpkin is in the air, not that it tastes anything remotely like pumpkin, but that's beside the point. I also liked it because it's dairy-free (and nut-free) and that's a plus because my hubby is lactose-intolerant.

This is a very versatile pesto. You can toss it with some pasta or steamed veggies. It's little thicker than a traditional basil pesto so it would also be good as a sandwich spread, or on some crackers or crostini. We just put it on some fettuccine but it makes quite a bit so I plan on using the leftovers with some gnocchi.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto
2 cups unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
3 garlic cloves
1 - 1 1/2 bunches fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons of the oil and salt then spread out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast until seeds are puffed and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes, then set aside to let cool.

Combine seeds in a food processor with water, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and remaining 4 tablespoons oil. If you're not a huge cilantro fan, start with less then add until it's to your liking. Pulse until mixture forms a coarse paste then season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to use.

SOURCE:Whole Foods Market Blog

This recipe Linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I made these twice in 2 days. I made them the first time for a play group I was hosting and I was expecting to have some leftover. Alas, after everyone was gone, all that was left were a few crumbs. So, I set out to make them again the very next afternoon because they were really good and my kids devoured them. Kids can be finicky, especially when it comes to food, so when I find something that they will eat that's healthy, I stick to it. This is a great snack food that I feel good about giving my family.

I used pumpkin as a binder in this granola because I love the flavor and it's perfect for fall. If you don't like the flavor of pumpkin, you can substitute applesauce or another fruit puree.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup honey
*2-3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or other oil or butter)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8-inch square baking pan or an 8x11-inch bar pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine oats, spices and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin, honey, coconut oil and vanilla until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are coated and moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

Evenly press granola into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes. Carefully flip pan over onto a cutting board, or lift parchment paper out of the pan. Cut into bars and separate them a little bit so they can cool completely.

You can easily double this recipe, especially since they don't last long! Just bake it in a 9x13 pan.

*The first time I made the granola bars, I didn't use any oil but I thought I would add it the second time to see if it would make the bars a little more moist and plyable. There was not much difference between the two. The second batch was more moist but the oil didn't make them more pliable. Either way they were great.

SOURCE:Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

This recipe linked to Putluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen and This Week's Cravings @ Mom's Crazy Cooking.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple Butter Muffins

Yummy, healthy, pumpkin; what more could a girl ask for? The first time I made these muffins my girls devoured them within days. I've been itching to make these again for a while but I turned a few too many zucchini into muffins at the end of the summer and I had to deplete my supply in the freezer before I could make more.

I'm not sure how many of these will get into the freezer, but I'm sure glad I got to make them again. I got this recipe from my friend Jamie. The original recipe was a whole wheat pumpkin muffin but I changed it a bit to add the apple butter. I used my own apple butter, it's pretty simple to make. If you don't have apple butter, you could use applesauce or all pumpkin and no applesauce.

These muffins are great warm out of the oven or probably any other way you could imagine. Spread it with some more apple butter or even this pumpkin butter that I'm dying to try but haven't yet.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple Butter Muffins
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup yogurt (I used homemade that I strained to make Greek-style yogurt, but any vanilla or plain yogurt will work fine.)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup apple butter
3 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix the wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix only until just combined. Let batter sit for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line 2 muffin pans with liners or spray with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cavities. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

This recipe linked to Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prarie Story and Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Pumpkin Maple Syrup

Some of you may know that I'm a breakfast-a-holic and a pancake fiend. I have at least 3-4 pancake recipes that I rotate through on a regular basis. I'm all about a good (and healthy) breakfast any day of the week, not just on the weekends. We hardly ever eat cold cereal anymore, much to my husband's chagrin I'm sure. My kids don't complain though. I think they love pancakes almost as much as I do.

A while back I found a can of pumpkin in my pantry. I had bought it last year sometime and still hadn't used it. Seeing it reminded me of fall. I love fall, it's my favorite season. I also love just about anything pumpkin. I have made pumpkin pancakes before and they always turned out gooey and a little unappetizing because of the texture. I wasn't sure you could even make a pumpkin pancake that wasn't gooey. That's until I got this recipe from my sister. The pancakes turn out nice and fluffy and, most importantly, they are not soggy or gooey. The pumpkin maple syrup is wonderful with it as well and just intensifies that pumpkin pie flavor.

I know I'm jumping the gun a little on fall, but when the weather turns, make room for these pancakes in your breakfast rotation. You won't be sorry.


2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 T vegetable oil
2 T vinegar

In a medium bowl, mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. In a separate bow combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Let batter rest for a few minutes while griddle warms up!

Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Brown on both sides and serve hot with Pumpkin Maple Syrup.


Pumpkin Maple Syrup
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
cinnamon, to taste


Here's some links to my favorite pancakes:
Whole Wheat Apple Pancakes
Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes
"Favorite" Pancakes
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

This recipe linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen and This Week's Cravings @ Mom's Crazy Cooking.

If you have a favorite pancake recipe, please share! You can either link up below or add it in the comments.

Pumpkin Scones

Breakfasts are so fun for me. You can eat anything from eggs and toast to hot cereal, pancakes, muffins, granola and scones. Really the possibilities are endless and I'm always trying new things. Breakfast is never the same for us. These pumpkin scones are perfect for this time of year. They are great for a holiday gift basket or on Thanksgiving morning for a light breakfast. Even if you want to make them the day after, you can use up some of your leftover pumpkin. The white chips make these scones extra special.

Pumpkin Scones
2 cups flour, white or whole wheat
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the egg wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Preheat the oven to 375° and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped white chocolate. In a separate bowl mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla, and then add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round. Cut the circle into 8 equal triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 8 scones.

SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread with Crystalized Ginger

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. yogurt (plain or vanilla)
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dried cranberries (fresh or frozen are fine too)
1/4 cup crystalized ginger, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars together. Add yogurt, eggs and pumpkin and mix until just combined. Mix dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk. Mix until just combined. Toss the cranberries in a little flour so they don't sink to the bottom of the pan while baking. Fold the cranberries and ginger into the batter. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 1 hr. 15 minutes, rotating in oven about halfway through. Once the timer reaches 1 hour, watch your bread closely as each oven is different and bread may be done sooner or later. Bread is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

NOTES:This bread is so good warm, perfect for a fall breakfast with some cider or hot cocoa. If you don't have crystalized ginger on hand or can't find it (I found mine at my local Good Earth & not too expensive), you can substitute 3 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger. However, I think the crystalized ginger in this recipe is what makes it that much better!

*For a variation, replace the milk with orange juice in the batterand and glaze with orange spice glaze once out of the oven: 1/2 cup powdered sugar, dash cinnamon & nutmeg & 2-3 Tbsp. orange juice

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/4 cup cinnamon
2 Tbsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground allspice

Mix together and store in airtight container.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Scotchies

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plain or vanilla fat free yogurt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pumpkin
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch ground ginger
pinch allspice
1/8-1/4 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups oats
1 bag (1 3/4 cups) butterscotch chips

Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides down as needed. Add yogurt, eggs and vanilla and pumpkin and mix to incorporate. Add dry ingredients through salt and mix to combine. Add the oats and mix then fold in the butterscotch chips.

Bake 375 for 8-10 minutes.

NOTES:I kind of combined a few recipes together to get this one and made it mine. These are delish! They might be one of my new favorites. They are great for fall baking and the best warm right out of the oven. You can also substitute craisins for the butterscotch chips.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound chicken sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup white cooking wine (or chicken stock)
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
3/4 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

NOTES:Another keeper from Rachael Ray with a couple of minor changes. This was delish, even my 2 1/2 year old kept telling me how yummy it was. If you don't want to make the chicken sausage, the original recipe called for 1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage. I also like enough sauce to cover my pasta so I reduced it to 3/4 lb. This made a lot of pasta for our little family. I will probably halve the recipe the next time I make it.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake and variations

Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.