Pumpkin Lasagna

I was a bit skeptical about pumpkin lasagna, but I must say it is really good. I came across the idea when looking at a cooking magazine my friend Liz had. So, I went online to find the recipe. It really was yummy. The only problem I had was the center noodle "buckled" and was therefore a little brittle. I don't really know what I could do to keep this from happening. I followed the recipe as written except I chopped the mushrooms rather than just slicing them. I recommend this recipe. It's especially good this time of year.

As you can see I paired the lasagna with peas and a slice of warm multi grain bread. I also made brownies for dessert. It was quite a comforting dinner.

Pasta & Chickpeas

Tonight we had a recipe I found in the book Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. On page 67 you can find the recipe, which I copy for you below. It was quite tasty! And, it couldn't be easier. So, I'll count this as another winner and add it to the list of repeats. We had stewed tomatoes and 5-cheese Texas toast. Michael made a cherry cake with cherry icing, so that was dessert. All in all a fulfilling dinner.

Pasta and Chickpeas
with plenty of parsley and garlic

1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to finish
1/2 large onion, diced
a few pinches of hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can, liquid reserved
1 big bunch of flat-leaf parsley, the leaves stripped from the stems (I used freeze-dried parsley, about 1/4 cup)
3 plump garlic cloves
small handful of sage leaves (I used about 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound whole wheat pasta shells (I used a box of tri-colored rotini)
freshly grated Parmesan

1- Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
2- Heat the oil in a wide skillet and add the onion and pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes, then add the chickpeas. While they're warming, chop the parsley, garlic, and sage together, then toss a third of it into the pan. Season well with salt and pepper, add a little water or chickpea broth to the pan, and cook slowly, adding more liquid as it cooks away.
3- Salt the pasta water and cook the pasta. When done, drain and toss it with the chickpeas, the rest of the parsley mixture, and extra olive oil to taste. Taste for salt and season with freshly ground pepper. Grate some cheese over the top and serve with additional pepper flakes.