Pumpkin Mac&Cheese

Yay for pumpkin month! This weekend the bf and I decided to go with mac and cheese. We love mac and cheese. After some research, the Better Homes and Gardens recipe sounded like a good place to start. Here is our version…delicious!

2 cups  dried elbow macaroni (or your favorite shape)
2 Tbsp  butter
2 Tbsp  flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup  heavy cream
1 cup  whole milk
4 oz Fontina cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
15  oz canned  pumpkin
1/4 cup  bread crumbs
1/4 cup  grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to pot.
Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper. Add heavy cream and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese and pumpkin until cheese is melted and combined. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer macaroni and cheese to an un-greased 2-quart baking dish.
In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Very delicious with chicken apple sausages :)

Delicious sausages! The fungi was for the boy…

My notes: This made so much sauce! Totally enough for a whole pound of pasta I think (but you would need a much bigger  baking dish). We added some herbage for extra flavor (thyme and parsley). We also felt this could have used more cheese (cheddar or gouda maybe) and a little less pumpkin.

♥ k

Pumpkin Month!

About a month ago, when everyone really started getting tired of the heat, the lovely bf and I started talking fall. The cool weather, the sweaters, the holidays, pumpkin flavoured things… And we decided then and there to make at least one pumpkin thing every weekend. I picked way too many recipes for one a week so maybe it will be more : )

WEEK 1: Pumpkin Mac’n’Cheese!

We were going to roast our little Trader Joe’s pumpkin, but he looked so cute on the counter. (And we didn’t really feel like putting dinner off an hour plus so we could roast it.) Inspired by this dish.

2 cups dried penne rigate (8 ounces)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tblsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta in a large pot following package directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to pot.

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add whipping cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle top with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Delicious sausages! The fungi was for the boy…

*Notes* Next time try with more cheese (maybe cheddar), caramelized onions, less pumpkin (maybe 1 cup), add cooked chicken and vegetables to make into a stand-alone dinner casserole.

We had it with some amazing garlic and wine chicken sausages and simple salad. We drank pumpkin beer also. And had pumpkin cupcakes and pumpkin bourbon macarons for dessert. Fall is off to a delicious start…

♥k