Pumpkin Mac

Thanksgiving is long gone, the Christmas decorations are up, the ground is covered in snow....and yet I am still finding random cans of pumpkin around my apartment. I am not kidding, they are everywhere. I think that as a result from the big pumpkin-shortage scare of 2009, I over compensated with my pumpkin purchasing this fall. Every time I went to the grocery store in late October and early November, I picked up a can, you know, just in case they ran out before Thanksgiving. I wonder if I am beginning to exhibit hoarding tendencies.

Luckily, after all the pumpkin pies and tarts were made, I found an even better way to use up my seemingly endless supply of extra pumpkin. Pumpkin macaroni and cheese. I have been seeing versions of this creation all over the blog-o-sphere lately, and I am so glad I tried it. It wasn't overwhelmingly pumpkin-y, but very rich and creamy with a hint of squash flavor at the end. I added some Gorgonzola and ground mustard to the mix, just to give a little extra bite to cut through the rich cheesy pumpkin sauce.

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese
serves 8-10

1 pound dried pasta (I prefer cavatappi or penne rigate, it holds the sauce really well)
1 quart whole milk
1 stick butter, divided
1/2 cup flour
1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree (DO NOT use pumpkin pie filling, not the same thing!)
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cooked the pasta until just al dente. It should still have some bite to it as it will continue to cook while baking. Drain, set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat, being careful not to let it boil or burn.

Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until combined and just starting to turn a light brown color, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly add in the milk, whisking until smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Gruyere, cheddar, and Gorgonzola cheeses, pumpkin puree, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ground mustard.

Add the pasta and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Pour into a 10 x 14 baking dish, or alternatively you can use two slightly smaller ones. (I do this, and freeze one of the pans after baking, that way I am only tempted to eat half a pound of pasta in one sitting, rather than the entire pound.)

Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in the microwave, then mix with the panko and pecorino romano. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture all over the top of the pasta and bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is golden brown and bubbly.

If anyone has any other more savory ways to use up excess pumpkin, please let me know in the comments, I think I still have a few cans lying around...

I wish I had some right now...

Well, Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone leaving me with great memories, a slight hangover, lots of leftovers, and the H1N1 virus. Yes, I have the plague. Okay, maybe not the plague, but it sure feels like it.

I am going to make this short and sweet since I need to get myself back to the couch. I have been wanting to make homemade macaroni and cheese for quite a while now, and the only thing stopping me was not wanting to know the exact quantities of butter and cheese it contained. After I saw Ina Garten's recipe though, I said 'screw it, I'm makin mac and cheese'.

I made a few edits as usual, eliminating the tomatoes (who needs vegetables right?) and added grilled chicken and mushrooms. It was so decadent and delicious, and I could really go for some right now. This made two pans of mac and cheese, and it actually froze quite well.

If you have been thinking about making homemade macaroni and cheese, do it, do it now. You will not regret it, at least not until you get the scale out. Half a pan of macaroni and cheese in one sitting is considered moderation right?

Macaroni and Cheese with Grilled Chicken and Mushrooms

adapted from Ina Garten's Macaroni and Cheese

2 Chicken breast halves

1 lb mushrooms, diced

Olive oil

1 lb cavatappi pasta

1 quart milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all purpose flour

12 ounces grated gruyere cheese

8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and grill over medium heat until cooked through. Let the chicken cool, dice small, and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and add mushrooms. Saute until cooked through, and slightly crisped, about 12-15 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta and cook according to directions on package, 6-8 minutes. Drain completely.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan being careful not to boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for about two minutes.

Add the milk slowly, whisking until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and add the cheese, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and the nutmeg.

Look at all that cheese....mmmm.

Add drained pasta, chicken, and mushrooms and stir to coat.

Pour mixture into one large (3 quart) baking dish or two smaller ones (1-2 quarts). Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter and combine with the breadcrumbs and parmesean cheese. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the macaroni and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is brown and bubbly.

There is nothing better than homemade mac and cheese. This has to be in my top five favorite foods EVER, please give it a try. Here's hoping none of you get the flu this winter, but if you do, just make some mac and cheese and settle in on the couch.