The Gourd That Keeps On Giving

Is there anything that magical gourd, the pumpkin, can't do? (The answer you're looking for is "No sirree Bob".) Yes, not only is the pumpkin cute, the epitome of the season, and the object of my obsession, it is also quite tasty. I made one of my favorite meals tonight: Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage and Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion. I randomly found it last year on FoodNetwork.com and have been in love with it ever since. It's a Rachael Ray recipe, which means it's easy and fast. You can find the original recipe here. But here's my recipe with changes based on my needs and what's in the pantry!

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage
1 pound bulk Italian sausage (although I usually only use 1/2 pound)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 cup white grape juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup whole milk (although I have used 2% before)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente

• Brown the sausage in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove.
  
• Add the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.
• Add bay leaf, sage, and grape juice 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 milk. 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.
  

Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion
1 pound triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed
1 small Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 tablespoon (a good drizzle) honey
Coarse salt and black pepper

• Place spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl.
  
• Place oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small plastic container and fit lid on container. Shake dressing to combine, 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Josh seemed to like the meal, too!