This was so easy and a fan favorite in our house. Plus, the leftover meat sauce tastes amazing over rice or even just as is! 

Ingredients

• 2lbs ground Italian venison sausage (or pork)
• Pasta of choice- we aren’t huge pasta people, so I only did 1/2 a box, but use how much you want
• 6 TBSP butter
• 2 garlic cloves- minced
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2/3 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Topping options (in photo): salted pecans, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, chopped parsley 

Directions

• Boil pasta water, and while boiling, begin the sausage and sauce. Cook pasta until al dente (check box). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water
• In a saucepan over medium heat, brown sausage
• In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook for about a minute. Add half and half, cheese, pumpkin, and nutmeg. Stir until sauce is heated through and cheese is melted
• Slowly add in pasta water until desired consistency
• Add browned sausage and combine
• Top pasta with meat sauce and add pecans, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, chopped parsley 

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