LifeStyled By Summer

Courtesy of Rachael Ray

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
• 4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta, cooked to al dente
• Parmigiano

Directions:

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and brown the sausage. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate. Drain the fat from the skillet and return the pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, then the garlic and onion. Sauté 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, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce. Return drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce, and pour the pumpkin sausage sauce over the pasta. Combine the sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with a heaping of shaved cheese!

*I highly recommend serving with this Spinach Salad w/ Apple and Red Onion.*