Prepared Meaty Goo, How to Keep Pasta Warm

I was going to roast bone marrow for Halloween, but it seems like my idea won't work after all, so I need to buy a prepared spread instead. To accompany the spread, I was planning cutting out little pumpkin-shaped pieces of white bread and toasting them. What came to mind first was a Duck Mousse that I found at the Foodstuffs in Evanston, but I could use some other ideas, especially those that are Weeny in nature, like something containing pumpkin, etc. The store must be within 15 minutes from Skokie.

As for the pasta (which will be sauced or cheesed), I wonder how to keep it warm. I have a 6-qt slow cooker, but will that make the bottom layer crusty?

Thanks!

Have you tried Schaefer's?

World Market had all kinds of stuff, including, tri colored pasta with pumpkin shapes , orange, black, and beige.

As for the pasta (which will be sauced or cheesed), I wonder how to keep it warm. I have a 6-qt slow cooker, but will that make the bottom layer crusty?

That's why they make chafing dishes. You can get the disposables at party stores or Costco. Water in the full-pan on the bottom, pasta in the half-pan on top of the water. No direct heat, no crusty.

We entertain a good amount and have invested in the stainless chafers at Costco. They're certainly more than a disposable, but look nicer and work great.

I bought a box of Dominick's brand bowties the other day for this recipe. Today I realized that I should double it. I need another ingredient that Dominick's was out of, and I wondered, boy, it would be a pain to go to two different stores for one ingredient at each, but I need the exact same pasta or it will cook up differently!

Am I being ridiculously paranoid and anile?

I've never made store brand pasta, not judging, just as a disclaimer in case its different than regular pasta, but I'd think that if they were the same size bowties, you should be fine.

I think it might cook up differently, but if it's going to be held for a while in sauce, it should even out.