Best Pumpkin Recipe
from the Better Homes and Gardens website
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Cooking Fresh Pumpkin Puree
Prep: 50 minutes Roast: 1 hour Stand: 1 hour Oven: 375°
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Scrub pumpkins thoroughly. Cut pumpkins in 5-inch-square pieces, discarding stems. Remove seeds and fibrous strings (save seeds for roasting, if desired). Arrange pumpkin pieces in a single layer, skin side up, in a foil-lined shallow baking pan.
2. Roast, covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop pulp from rind. Place, in batches if necessary, in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth (or for a chunkier puree, blend or process until slightly chunky).
3. Place puree in a 100% cotton cheesecloth-lined fine mesh sieve (use a double thickness of cheesecloth). Allow to stand for 1 hour to drain. Press lightly to remove any additional liquid (discard liquid).
- 2 cups dried elbow macaroni (8 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin or fresh *see below*
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf sage, crushed
- 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sage leaves (optional)
Directions
Fifteen ounces of canned pumpkin is almost just shy of 2 cups (16
ounces would be 2 cups). A 3-pound pie pumpkin will likely give you
enough puree for your recipe. Here are some good tips for using fresh
pumpkin:
Pumpkin math: After cooking and draining, this is about what to expect from a typical cooking pumpkin.
2 1/2- lb.pie pumpkin =1-3/4 cups puree
3 1/2-lb.pie pumpkin =2-1/2 cups puree
6-lb. carving pumpkin=2-3/4 cups puree
5-lb. round=3-1/3 cups puree
Pumpkin storage: Puree can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container up to 3 days or stored in the freezer up to 6 months.
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta in a large
pot following package directions. Drain cooked pasta, then return to
pot.
2.
For cheese sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter
over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add whipping cream
and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly
thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is
melted. Stir cheese sauce into pasta to coat. Transfer macaroni and
cheese to an ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.
3.
In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan,
walnuts, and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes
or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
If desired, sprinkle with sage leaves.
****
Fresh Pumpkin math from BHG's site.
Pumpkin math: After cooking and draining, this is about what to expect from a typical cooking pumpkin.
2 1/2- lb.pie pumpkin =1-3/4 cups puree
3 1/2-lb.pie pumpkin =2-1/2 cups puree
6-lb. carving pumpkin=2-3/4 cups puree
5-lb. round=3-1/3 cups puree
Pumpkin storage: Puree can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container up to 3 days or stored in the freezer up to 6 months.
Prep: 50 minutes Roast: 1 hour Stand: 1 hour Oven: 375°
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Scrub pumpkins thoroughly. Cut pumpkins in 5-inch-square pieces, discarding stems. Remove seeds and fibrous strings (save seeds for roasting, if desired). Arrange pumpkin pieces in a single layer, skin side up, in a foil-lined shallow baking pan.
2. Roast, covered, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop pulp from rind. Place, in batches if necessary, in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth (or for a chunkier puree, blend or process until slightly chunky).
3. Place puree in a 100% cotton cheesecloth-lined fine mesh sieve (use a double thickness of cheesecloth). Allow to stand for 1 hour to drain. Press lightly to remove any additional liquid (discard liquid).
