Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

As December continues on, we are slowly creeping into the winter. Well maybe not all that slowly as its been snowing here all week! Luckily for me, pumpkin time is still lingering on, and with Thanksgiving just passed and Christmas on the way, canned pumpkin has been on sale. I had been wanted to make a pumpkin mac and cheese for a long time and now was finally the time. Nothing is better in the winter than the classic fall flavors mixed with the ultimate comfort food!



Recipe inspired from Inspired Taste.

What you need:



1 16 ounce box of pasta*
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mustard
1 can of pumpkin
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

What to do:
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the box.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.
Stir in flour and cook while stirring, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in milk.
Place back onto heat and bring to a simmer.
Simmer and stir until thickened.
Stir in salt, pepper, clove, cinnamon, mustard and pumpkin puree.
Add cheese then cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.



Drain pasta and add it into cheese sauce and stir until coated.









While this was cooking, it was so incredibly fragrant. Pumpkin spice flavors filled my kitchen, which is amazing any time of year. This pasta had the perfect mix of pumpkin flavors and cheesiness. It had just the slightest hint of sweetness that paired well with the sharp cheddar flavor. It reminded me of a savory pumpkin pie! The sauce was think and creamy, and amazingly comforting. This might have been my favorite mac and cheese!

What are you favorite ways to make the classic seasonal flavors?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

*As you can see the photo of ingredients has a box of bow tie pasta, but in the photos I used rotini. As I was making this I decided to switch pasta shapes.

Birthday Dinner at Mario's

Hello everyone! Sorry for a bit of a late post.  Yesterday was my 23rd birthday and I have been celebrating with my boyfriend, Ben, all weekend at Penn State.  We started with Halloween celebrations, then moved on to a nice dinner, and seeing the Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

Mario's is a nice American Italian Restaurant at Penn State College.  We actually went there last year for my birthday dinner too.  We both really love the food, but I love how many vegetarian options they have!  It is by no means a vegetarian restaurant, but they do an amazing job creating a menu with a lot of vegetarian food in a variety of flavors.  Its really nice having the ability to make choices out of so many amazing dishes.  I especially love going there for my birthday because they always create an amazing fall menu. I am literally obsessed with fall flavors, and they certainly don't hold back.




I started with the butternut squash bruschetta. This was probably the most unique item I had, but it was so good!  This toasted bread was topped with pieces of butternut squash and walnuts which gave it a really nice bite.  They topped it off with some melted cheese.





For  my main course I got the pumpkin ravioli.  This is one of my favorite fall meals, and a staple in my diet every fall.  The pumpkin was so creamy and perfectly spiced in a whole wheat ravioli. The sauce was buttery, and again topped with nuts for a unique crunch.  I got this dish last year as well, because it is just that good.




Just when I thought dinner was over, the waiter brought out a tiramisu with a birthday candle! I think this was the best tiramisu that I have ever tasted, and not just because there was a birthday candle in it. The flavors were amazing and the top layer of cake was so light and delicious.




Overall I had both an amazing birthday dinner and and amazing birthday!  Here's to 23 and all the things this year will bring!

What are your favorite fall and birthday foods?

Bye from the Veggie Side!