Recipe Exchange revisited: Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce!

For those of you who were interested in this Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce recipe mentioned in the October 12 Recipe Exchange post, here you go. It's one of my favorite fall meals, but alas, I can't find frozen cheese ravioli anywhere in this town and the fresh stuff is pretty expensive. The recipe-makers used some light(*) or fat-free(**) options, but I don't bother unless I happen to have the low fat stuff on hand already.

One time I made this for a friend who was a super-calorie-counter and she got me to switch out the butter and just use some butter-flavored nonstick spray; for those of you who are super-calorie-counters, too, it worked pretty well.

Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce
adapted from Eating Light, March 2003

1 bag (25 oz.)
1 T butter*
1 c finely chopped carrot
1 c finely chopped onion
1 c half-and-half**
29 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 c grated Parmesan

1. While the ravioli water comes to a boil, melt butter in a saucepan (or skillet) over medium heat. Stir in carrot & onion; cover & cook 8 minutes, till soft but not browned.
2. Stir in pumpkin puree, half-and-half, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer five minutes.
   
3. Add the ravioli to the boiling water--cook according to directions. (My ravioli always took 3-5 minutes.)
   
4. Add cheese to sauce, stir until melted. Serve sauce over ravioli.