Pumkin Alfredo Sauce

You know what I'm excited for? Fall. The harvest season where acorn squash are less than $1.00.  Pumpkins are everywhere, the brilliant colors of the hills when the trees are aflame with oranges and reds. Yes. The smell of pumpkin spice in the kitchen, hot caramel apple cider, walking around in jeans and hoodies and so much more. One of my friends pointed out the other day how excited I get when a new season approaches, but I have to say, that Fall is my favorite.  I made the first batch of pumpkin devil's food cake cupcakes this week, and there will be many more to follow.

I decided to expand my use of pumpkin this year though. And why not?  It's so hard to find once the holidays are over, so I'm going to start stocking up now.  I love realizing I have all the ingredients for something new I want to make. Tonight it was Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce.  It all started with a simple question: What are we having for dinner?  Tonight was also one of the rare nights when Chris didn't have to work til later and we could actually fix a nice dinner.  We're kind of getting low on a few staples, but one thing we did have was pasta.  Instead of our usual tomato sauce, I was in the mood for something creamy.  I figured "it can't be that hard to make alfredo... maybe I have all the ingredients".  I hopped online in search for the basic instructions of a cream sauce, something I've never attempted before.  Who knew it could be so easy! This recipe is one I took from Taste of Home, but cut the recipe back a bit, with a little bit more pumpkin than they called for. I hope it inspires you to explore new ways of using this awesome ingredient!

Yields 5 servings.  Points+ Value: 2 points
Ingredients:
1 cup 2% milk
7 oz. fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (I used canned pumpkin)
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
parsley, nutmeg, sage to taste

Whisk milk, broth and flour in a medium mixing bowl.  In a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in milk mixture, pumpkin, herbs, and cheese with garlic in saucepan.  Heat on medium until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally (approximately 10-15 minutes).    

Chris was so excited about actually getting to use butter for this recipe. :) And I quote "the only thing better than garlic in butter... is you".  That's saying something. hahaha

It even looked yummy before it thickened up!

We put ours over pasta and also added chicken on top for a heartier meal.

I will warn those who are making this however, that Chris and I love garlic. I almost wonder if using only a clove of garlic would have been enough. We could taste the pumpkin, but I think I'm going to use less garlic next time in hopes that the pumpkin will come out more.  This was my first ever attempt at a cream sauce, and I counted it as a success. :)  If anyone else has any favorites they'd like to suggest, let me know! :)