Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese

Mac and cheese is a child favorite and go-to holiday comfort food, but many versions are heavy in cheese and pasta and lacking the all-important veggie group. This season, let your little one help whip up a version the whole family can all feel good about! The orange pumpkin puree blends perfectly with the cheese sauce and adds a hefty nutritional punch. This recipe comes to us from Jory of teeny tiny foodie.

Food for Thought: Have you ever wondered why pumpkins are such a bright, beautiful shade of orange? Pumpkins are orange because they contain a lot of beta-carotene, an orange-colored nutrient that helps keep our eyes healthy. Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, too. These days, food coloring makes most cheddar cheese orange, but a long time ago the cheese was naturally orange because the cows that made the milk ate a lot of beta-carotene, too!

Cooking Tip of the Week: For casseroles, instead of boiling pasta for the time recommended on the box, remove it from the boiling water a little early. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy because it will continue to cook as you bake it in the oven.

Family Dinner Conversation Starter: What do you think the future will be like four years from now?

Ingredients:

• 1 box (16 ounces) whole wheat macaroni/elbows or other small pasta
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups unsweetened pumpkin purée (homemade or canned)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (reserve 1/4 cup for topping)
• 1 cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded (reserve 1/4 cup for topping)
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 1 cup bread crumbs, such as whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Adult: Heat the oven to 375°F.

Kid: Lightly grease a lasagna pan or large, deep baking dish.

Kid: Mix the reserved 1/2 cup of cheddar cheeses and the bread crumbs together in a small bowl for topping the cheesy pasta before you bake it.

Adult: Cook the pasta according to the package directions minus 2 minutes. After it has cooked, drain the pasta and return it to the pasta pot.

Adult: While the pasta cooks, begin creating the roux. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Once it begins to melt, turn up the heat to medium and let the butter begin to brown. Whisk in the flour until you create a thick paste.

Together: Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time so it forms a thick sauce. Keep whisking as you stir in the puréed pumpkin and all the spices. Add the 1 1/2 cups of the mixed cheddar cheeses and stir until it is all melted. Taste and adjust spices as desired.

Together: Carefully, pour the sauce over the cooked pasta. Use a rubber spoon to make sure all the pasta is coated evenly. Pour the pasta and sauce into pan/baking dish.

Kid: Top with the bread crumb and reserved cheeses mixture.

Adult: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Let cool for around 5 minutes before enjoying.

For tips on making your own pumpkin purée, visit teeny tiny foodie.