Eat Like a Rabbit

This pasta recipe comes at the end of a number of fall recipes. I read in "Reader's Digest" last week that prices on produce actually go down when the product is hot and in season because there is plenty of the product, and they have to move quickly before they spoil. I found this to be true with apples because last week they were $0.44 higher at Costco than they were this week. So, be on the lookout for produce in season. You will save money and enjoy richer flavor.

The price of this meal is calculated based on the internet price I found for the jar of "Bella Cucina Pumpkin Pesto." However, it was given to us as a gift. Please note, the prices are not always the cheapest out there. They were just the best prices I could find at the time.

Recipe for Pumpkin Pesto Pasta Sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions. For pasta, pour 1 Tablespoon olive oil into a skillet and saute 1 small, diced onion. Half of the onion may be preferred. Cook the onions until they are translucent. Add one to one and a half tablespoons of Pumpkin Peston to the onions stir with the bottom of a spoon like a roux. Add a cup of water gradually, while stirring continuously. Toward the end of the process, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (ground in your hand) to the sauce. (The recipe on the bottle recommends sage and thyme. Use what you have in the pantry.) Sprinkle grated Parmesan on the pasta just before serving.

Paul and I agreed that the pasta was strong. The pumpkin pesto, even when used as a dip for crackers, has a short half-life in the mouth--meaning that it gets tired quickly. However, for people who are allergic to or do not like tomatoes, I think this sauce is a great way to have the sweetness of tomatoes without the acidity that often accompanies a fresh sauce.

Cost

• $0.75 Rigatoni Pasta (Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Publix)
• $0.75 Sweet Onion (Purchased as a pack, Costco)
• $12.00 Bella Cucina Pumpkin Pesto (A gift to us)
• Negligible Seasonings and oil
• $13.50 Total