Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

This creamy cheesy bowl of heaven will satisfy even the hungriest and pickiest trick-or-treater. Before you take the kids out for pillowcases full of candy, make sure to sneak a few veggies in, served in the cutest roasted pumpkin bowls!

I'm seriously drooling writing this and will absolutely be making this again very soon. Adding pumpkin to the cheese sauce takes creamy to another level, I'm talking spoonfuls of the good stuff in every nook and cranny of broccoli and oriecchette (or whatever your Mac preference). Sneaking a delicious vegetable like broccoli should be a given with Mac and cheese. It bulks up the portion size, adds flavor and micronutrients! Those extra bites of energy are crucial before a monster night like Halloween (for both parents and kids)!

Obviously this Mac and cheese is delicious out of the bowls but, come on, how cute are these? They're also super versatile and decorative. Perfect for serving any number of dips or tricks you may have for your grown up halloween parties too!

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Pumpkin Soup Bowls

4 servings | 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 mini pumpkin pie pumpkins or other small pumpkin

• Olive oil spray

• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cut the tops of the pumpkins off, keep in mind you're making a bowl so you want the opening pretty wide.

3. Scoop out the insides of the pumpkin, seeds, flesh and all.

4. Spray with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake open side up on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until it can be punctured with a fork.

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Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

4 servings | 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 cups broccoli florets (~300g)

• 2 tbsp flour

• 1 cup skim milk

• 4 oz #traderjoes cheddar and gruyere cheese (just cheddar works just as well)

• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1/2 tsp powdered mustard

• A dash of cayenne pepper (like just a dash, ~1/8 tsp?)

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs

• 8 oz macaroni (I used orecchiette)

Directions:

1. If cheese is not shredded, shred cheddar cheese.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

3. Salt water and add pasta, stirring occasionally.

4. Steam broccoli, I used a steamer basket over the boiling pasta to save a dish!

5. Heat a separate pan on medium low. Add butter to melt. Once melted, add flour and whisk for about 3 minutes to cook off the flour taste.

6. Whisk in milk, pumpkin puree, spices and 3/4 of cheese until smooth.

7. Strain pasta and broccoli and fold into cheese sauce.

8. Place Mac and cheese into mini pumpkin bowls or other oven safe bowl.

9. Top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.

10. Broil for 2-3 minutes in the oven until cheese and breadcrumbs start to brown.