Tablescapes, Pumpkin Farm

the Painted Apron

7 years ago

This is Take-out Tuesday with a twist today, I do have a great recipe to share but first let’s join the fun for Celebrate & Decorate’s Fall Tablescape Hop

I have been hopping with this group through several seasons, and you won’t want to miss any of their fabulous tables and ideas! A big Thank You to our leader Chloe!

Today we’re going to dine at a Pumpkin Farm to kick off the beginning of Fall 🏈

This particular pumpkin farm is located on the Alabama Gulf coast, where we are all praying for our neighbors just west of us in Texas and Louisiana…

Since the farm is seaside, most of the pumpkins are blue and white

You can pick your own for just $5

You will work up an appetite after pumpkin picking

Pour a beverage from one of the pitchers

Get comfy at the table

It’s loaded with fat burlap pumpkins and a grapevine one

Pumpkin plates and glasses

Pumpkin pillows in the chairs for lounging

White pumpkin salad plates atop turquoise dinner plates on orange rattan chargers with wooden handled flatware and a soft fringed cotton napkin complete the place settings

The tablecloth is actually a thin cotton rug

Lots of sea blues to enjoy the views

Today’s special is…

Pumpkin pasta!

Perfect after a busy day at the pumpkin farm and those evenings when there is a nip of fall in the air

Italian sausage & ham combine with canned pumpkin, a little cream, seasonings and Parmesan cheese to form a dreamy sauce for pasta

Make it up to 24 hours ahead of time, refrigerate and bake when desired

PUMPKIN ALFREDO PASTA WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND HAM

Pasta is combined with sausage and ham and bathed in a creamy pumpkin Alfredo sauce for a wonderful Fall meal

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword fall pasta, ham, Italian sausage, pasta, pasta bake, pumpkin

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 links sweet Italian sausage
2 big slices spiral sliced ham [use your leftover holiday ham!]
8 oz. penne rigatoni, or any tubular pasta
1 medium onion diced
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 cream or heavy cream divided
1 cup canned pumpkin [not pumpkin pie filling]
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
4 oz. freshly grated Parmesan or Italian blend cheese, divided

Instructions

Remove casing from sausage and brown, crumble and drain.
Saute onion in reserved sausage drippings and 1 T butter. When onion has caramelized, after 15-20 minutes, add ham and cook for a few minutes.
Add sausage back to skillet and set aside.
Cook pasta in salted boiling water until just barely done. Drain and put into a greased 2 quart baking dish.
Top with meat mixture.
Using the same skillet you cooked the onion and meats, combine pumpkin, chicken broth and 3/4 cup cream. Simmer over medium low heat, stirring to combine.
Add cinnamon and nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Add half of the cheese and stir to melt.
Stir most of the remaining cheese into meat and pasta mixture, reserving some cheese for garnish after baking
Pour sauce over pasta and meat in casserole and gently toss to combine. Drizzle with reserved 1/2 and 1/2.
Cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Bake covered at 300 for one hour. Garnish with remaining cheese. Serves 6.

Notes

There are lots of opportunities to change this up, eliminate the meat for a meatless version, use ham or sausage only, or this would be a great dish to make with leftover turkey too! The pumpkin sauce is dreamy divine~

Thank you for visiting the Pumpkin Farm today!