October? Already? Did September even happen?

Seriously: I think I slept through all of September. Last thing I remember, it was August!

As lovely as this summer was, I am ready for cooler temperatures — which will hopefully put out the fires around here, and make my lungs a bit happier! Some days I can barely see down the street, it is so smokey here in Bozeman. Needless to say, running an excruciating 8k race last Friday was tough on the lungs.

Fall also means hearty soups, warm sweaters, and a lot more baking! I’ve been making about two loaves of bread each week for the past month — a habit I’m sure will continue through the winter! I’m working on perfecting a no-knead bread recipe, which I’ll hopefully have ready to share with you soon.

As for now, I figured I should follow the Beet Pasta recipe with a useful meal idea! This sauce is perfect with the pink pasta, and certainly a colorful dish! You could even spruce it up with even more vegetables!

Blue Cheese Sauce with Beet Pasta and Veggies

Beet Pasta
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 large handful fresh spinach

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
pepper

Sautee the bell pepper in olive oil until softened. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until no clumps remain. Add the milk and blue cheese and whisk until incorporated. After the cheese has melted, keep stirring to prevent the bottom from burning. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add fresh cracked pepper, to taste.

Combine the cooked pasta, peppers, and spinach. When the sauce is ready, pour it immediately over the pasta: this will wilt the spinach. Mix the sauce to coat all of the pasta, and serve!

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