Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese

Sometimes I find recipe inspiration in unexpected places.

We were visiting daycare centers and playschools last week- Lila will go back to daycare when I'm back at work in a few weeks, and we visited several school to find a place she will love. The schools have all their weekly lunch and snack menus posted prominently on the bulletin board and of course I'm always curious to see what's being served.

One school had the most delicious menu- I saw pumpkin mac 'n cheese on the menu for lunch that day and thought- mmm, that sounds so good.

Today, V had a Thanksgiving potluck lunch at his workplace and I thought pumpkin mac 'n cheese would be a good dish to send in- crowd-pleasing and simple enough to make, plus mac 'n cheese is a standard Thanksgiving side dish, with pumpkin adding some seasonal flair.

There are many recipes online and this one caught my eye. Embellished with savory notes from browned butter and caramelized onions, I just had to make it. I made a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs, sage (another flavor of the season), parmesan and french fried onions.

The favors of this dish are similar to this butternut squash onion lasagna I posted a few winters ago but this recipe is even easier to put together.

A couple of notes: The pumpkin bechamel sauce can be cooked a day ahead of time and stored in the fridge. I used canned pumpkin puree this time; if you do, make sure you buy pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and spices. And although I would never endorse "hiding" vegetables in dishes, the pumpkin truly blends into the sauce, adding a richer orange color and sweet flavor that any kid would enjoy.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
(Adapted from this recipe on Brokeass Gourmet)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Cook 1 box (14 oz or so) short pasta such as elbows or rotini. Save a cup of pasta cooking water.
3. To make the pumpkin bechamel sauce, heat 4 tbsp. butter and fry 1 sliced onion on low heat for 20-30 minutes or until the onion is caramelized and the butter is browned. Then stir in 1 tbsp. flour and cook until the flour is toasty.
4. Slowly whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1 and 1/2 cups pumpkin puree and bring to a boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Add 2 loosely packed cups shredded cheddar cheese. Make sure the saucepan is pulled off the heat before adding the cheese. And add cheese in small handfuls, stirring in as you go along. This way the sauce will be smooth and you won't have cheese stuck to the sides of the pan. 
6. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (optional).
7. Mix the pasta and the sauce and pour into greased casserole. You don't want the sauce to be too thick (it will thicken upon baking and standing); thin it with pasta water if needed.
8. Topping: In a bowl, mix a handful each of panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs), grated parmesan cheese and French fried onions (a supermarket staple around Thanksgiving because it is used in those green bean casseroles) and a couple of tablespoons of minced fresh sage. Spread the topping evenly on the pasta.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is browned and the sides of the casserole are bubbling. 

The potluck dish came back scraped clean so I'm guessing they enjoyed it. I hope you have a lovely weekend!