Creamy Pumpkin-Alfredo Pasta Sauce

Some people love PSL season (Pumpkin Spice Latte--and it is apparently coming up soon!).  I like the cinnamon and nutmeg and other spices, but I also like stuff with actual pumpkin.  And because you can get canned pumpkin all year, using it shouldn't be limited to the cool months.  I found this simple recipe for a creamy pasta sauce and gave it a try.  I didn't bother with the fancy fettuccine nests they used, instead tossing it with regular spaghetti.  It turned out pretty good, particularly with broccoli, some cheesy turkey sausage, and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.  

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons butter/margarine
• 3 to 5 tsp. pre-minced garlic (or 5 cloves garlic)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half (original recipe used heavy cream, but this worked pretty well) 
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid from your pasta, to thin out sauce if needed. 
2. Heat the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. 
3. Saute garlic until soft and fragrant. 
4. Add the pumpkin and cream/half-and-half. 
5. Simmer until slightly thickened. 
6. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper
7. Stir, then thin with pasta water (if needed) 
8. Toss the pasta in the sauce and thin as needed using the reserved cooking liquid.