Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

What is Madeline eating for dinner tonight? Leftovers. What is she eating for dinner tomorrow night? Leftovers. And the next night? Leftovers! (I know, I know, this thought crosses your mind every night.) Ribollita from 101 Cookbooks + Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce = Two recipes in two days designed for families of 4-6. It's truly a blessing in disguise though, this is a crazy week at school. 

Last night I made the penne pasta dish and invited my friend Caroline over for dinner. I found the recipe for this dish on Classico's website after receiving their new Light Creamy Alfredo to try as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker's Program. The thought of pumpkin and alfredo was intriguing to me and I was pleasantly surprised by the finished product. The combination of light alfredo and pumpkin produced a thick looking, light sauce. I actually preferred the light alfredo to other alfredos I've tried which I usually feel just sit in my stomach. I would definitely make this again for a quick, crowd pleasing meal.

Since making this I've noticed a few bloggers making pumpkin mac and cheese. This also sounds delicious but I think I will wait until my shelf of in the refrigerator is visible again. 

Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce and roasted carrots and parsnips.

Hope you are having a great week!

Saturday Morning @ the A2 Farmer's Market

Is there anything better then a cool, crisp fall morning at the Farmer's Market? I'm doubtful, but I suppose a cool, crisp fall morning at the market with family and friends would have been even better. There wasn't a cloud in the sky this morning when I walked over to the market, walking on the sunny side of the street of course. On my list was kale for soup I hope to make today or tomorrow, apples, and the rest subject to market finds. I ended up walking away with kale, acorn squash, salad greens, sage, apples, roasted chestnuts and an Algerian pastry, for a total of $16. I am so lucky to live so close to a great market. I plan to take full advantage the rest of the year, since I have no idea where I will be ending up after this (school) year.

As silly as it sounds, I attribute some of my favorite new things at the market to the the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market Twitter account. I would have never learned about Al Meida, a producer of the most delicious Algerian Pastries (my personal favorites are Caak, picture below, and the Kaab el Gahzal). 

And I certainly wouldn't have given a second look, or even looked for the vendor roasting chestnuts at the market today had it not popped up on Twitter. Two dollars for a generous portion of roasted chestnuts seemed like quite a deal. There gone now, sad, but they'll be back at the market on December 10th. 

Silly I know, but it is kind of cool how social media makes it way into seemingly non-technological sectors. I find myself reading about things and connecting with people that I otherwise would not have. I, without a doubt, waste to much time on Facebook and Twitter but it turns out to be an effective waste time. :) Or at least that is what I'll keep telling myself...

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Not too much blog worthy cooking going on the past few days. Food getting me through the days has included turkey sandwiches, roasted and raw veggies, apples, pears, bagels (lots of bagels), Halloween candy, Chinese food and other random unhealthy things. I'm hoping to simultaneously shift my (as of late) unhealthy eating habits and gets lots of other stuff done this week. But on to something really exciting. . .

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! I learned about the swap on Twitter as follower of Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil (who is one of the organizers of the swap). About 500 food bloggers have signed up to participate so far. The way it works is I will be given three names and addresses to send cookies to (and three different bloggers will receive my information as well). I'll send cookies to them by a certain date and receive cookies from other bloggers as well. I will be blogging about the swap in early December - so watch for the post!

If you are a food blogger interested in participating, sign up here by November 15th.

All I have left to do is test a few cookies recipes. I'm sure my roommates won't mind.