Pasta with Italian Style Pumpkin Sauce

I am not a pumpkin fan…unless it is a dessert. But I made this for my mom because I wanted to try something new. She was unsure about it when I told her about it because although she likes pumpkin, she has never had it with pasta. Luckily she really enjoyed it and said none of the flavors overpowered any of the others, and it blended well.

INGREDIENTS

½ can plain pumpkin
2 cups chicken broth (you can adjust this to your desired consistency)
2 ounces cream cheese (goat cheese would have been really good too)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 ½ tablespoons butter
8 ounces uncooked pasta
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Begin cooking pasta to your preference. Do not forget to salt the water.

While pasta is cooking combine pumpkin, cream cheese and chicken broth. Let the cream cheese melt in the mixture warm through. Add in your thyme, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low and stir occasionally.

When the pasta is done mix in the butter and parmesan cheese to your pumpkin sauce.

Combine desired about of pumpkin sauce to your pasta serving. Serve with additional parmesan cheese on each individual portion.

(You will most likely have more sauce than pasta…sorry. I am not so great at planning that out).