Craving some comfort food this week? This pumpkin mac and cheese, originally featured in our "Everything Pumpkin" story in the October 2014 issue, is delicious and will be a great weekday meal for leftovers too.
Serve with a salad of greens - consider a light arugula salad with toasted walnuts or sliced almonds with a vinaigrette.
Be sure to share your favorite recipes with us and check back here every Monday for our weekly recipe pick.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
1½ pounds elbow macaroni
4 cups milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup flour
8 ounces Gruyère, grated (2 cups)
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (3 cups)
1 15-ounce can pureed pumpkin
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups panko bread crumbs
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375 and coat a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Boil a large pot of salted water, and add the macaroni. Cook 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium-low heat. In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. After 2 minutes, add the warm milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Turn the heat off, and add the cheeses and pumpkin, and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni, stir, and pour into the baking dish. Top the macaroni with the panko, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbly and browned.