Pumpkin Curry Macaroni and Cheese

It's finally FINALLY cooled back down here in SoCal. While everyone back home was talking about rainy days and drinking hot cider, I was over here on the west coast dying from the insane dry heat we were getting. Nothing says fall more than wearing summer dresses and drinking iced coffee.  So, needless to say, I was really happy when the temperature started to dip into the 70's and immediately started pulling out my cans of pumpkin.

While most people view the fall as time to break out pumpkin spice things, I always look to the pumpkin itself. I love finding recipes that use pumpkin puree as part of the ingredients in a savory dish. This recipe was one that I was really excited to try because the Mister loved mac and cheese, and I'm a huge fan of curry dishes. So, the fact that it combined the two and incorporated pumpkin into the mix was a complete win.

recipe adapted from Flavor Mosaic

• 2 cups of elbow macaroni
• 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups Half and Half
• 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot following package directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to pot.
2. In a large skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Pour in Half and half. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in curry powder. Stir in pumpkin and 1 cup mozzarella until cheese is melted. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a2-quart rectangular baking dish that's been sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the pasta. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the cheese. Spray with cooking spray.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.