Fettuccine Alfredo, Roasted Cauliflower, and Pumpkin Muffins

That's what's on the menu for tonight. After a few weeks of being off the wagon, I'm jumping back on. It's a process. So anyway, check back later tonight for recipes!

Alright, here are the recipes.

Fettuccine Alfredo - Adapted slightly from this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

18 ounces fresh fettuccine
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups grated Parmesan
1 cup grated Romano
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Drain.

Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and cheeses to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the salt and pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.


Roasted Cauliflower

This is very similar to my roasted asparagus recipe.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Rinse cauliflower and remove cut into small pieces.

Lay the cauliflower on a baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and toss to coat. Lay the florets back out all nice and neat so they are touching but not overlapping.

Lightly salt and pepper. Sprinkle on garlic powder and about 2/3 as much paprika as garlic powder.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp-tender.


Pumpkin Muffins - from The Pioneer Woman

Muffin Ingredients:
1 cup All-purpose Flour
½ cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1-½ teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger
½ teaspoons Nutmeg
½ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Butter - Cut Into Pieces
1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
½ cups Evaporated Milk
1 whole Egg
1-½ teaspoon Vanilla
½ cups Golden Raisins (optional!)

Topping
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Nutmeg

Frosting:
¼ cups Softened Butter
4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
½ pounds Powdered Sugar
½ teaspoons Vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into a greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy! Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

My note: I love these! I ate all 12 by myself! (*sheepish grin*) I left out the raisins. I meant to make the frosting (because it sounds so yummy!) but I simply devoured them too quickly to bother.