It’s officially pumpkin season! I love all things pumpkin!  So today I made this pumpkin mac and cheese for lunch.

To be honest I wasn’t quite sure how this was going to turn out. Well I sure did surprise myself… All I can say is WOW! It was soooo good!

The pumpkin puree made the sauce so rich and creamy you really don’t need to add much cheese. I used extra sharp cheddar and gorgonzola, but you could easily change the cheese to any of your favorites.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces pasta (I like penne)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 1/2  cups milk (I used almond)
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
• 2 tablespoons sage, sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.
3. In a large frying pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and nutmeg. Mix until flour turns a golden brown. I like to use a whisk.
4. Slowly add milk and bring to a slight boil. Add pumpkin, salt, pepper, shredded cheddar, gorgonzola, and sage. Simmer for a few minutes and the cheese is melted. Stir in the cooked pasta.
5. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray and pour pasta into dish and top with panko. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nice and bubbly and brown.

Enjoy!