Baked Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Pasta with Bacon

What do you get when you combine pasta with bacon + goat cheese + pumpkin?  Perfect winter comfort food at it's best!  This dish was so good and best of all, it was a cinch to make. 

*Recipe adapted from the September / October issue of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. pasta (I used cavatappi)

- 4 Tbsp. butter

- 1 Tbsp. olive oil

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 shallots, minced

- 2 cups heavy whipping cream

- 1 cup milk (I used skim)

- 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper

- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped

Toppings:

- 12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled

- 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and shallots and cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes.  Add the next six ingredients.  Reduce heat to low.  Cook, stirring constantly, until reduced, 6-8 minutes.  Add sage and remove from heat.

3.  Drain pasta and stir into sauce until combioned.  Transfer mixture to a baking dish.  Top with bacon, goat cheese, and Parmesan.  Bake, covered, for 15 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for 5 minutes more or until cheeses are melted.

Enjoy!

  

I really liked this one - It's been added to the regular pasta rotation list!

Christmas Wrappings 2017

I know Christmas seems like a long time ago now, but I still wanted to get my 2017 Christmas wrappings up on the blog.  I love wrapping presents and try to go with a different theme every year.  This year I added navy to the mix.  I've never considered navy for the holidays before, but I really love how the navy pairs with red and green.

I only bought one new roll of paper this year - the pretty navy blue pattern in the photo below.  It is a Tommy Bahama brand wrapping paper that I found at Homegoods.  It almost has a vintage feel to it.  Everything else I used was from my stash....I'm a bit of a wrapping paper and supply hoarder.

Here's a photo I posted to Instagram:

I love using initials as gift tags.  I buy wood or chipboard initials and then cut a patterned piece of paper to fit and glue on.  I think it's fun to use instead of a traditional gift tag.

I love initial stickers too - just slap one on a tag and you are good to go!

I also like to buy floral picks at the craft store.  They are inexpensive and really add so much to your packages.  Just tie a pretty bow, and slide in one of the floral picks - easy and beautiful! 

And just so I don't forget it, here is my 2017 Christmas Tree...