Ambrosial.

As I first tasted this dish, I was drafting the post in my head and could not find a word big enough. Or strong enough. Not a single word heavenly or delicious enough for this macaroni and cheese. After all, it is a noodle. With cheese. JUST a carb and some dairy right?

No. Not right. This is close your eyes, and smile. Hear the Angels sing! This is lick the spoon. This is hide the bowl and fight over the last bite. This is one hell of a noodle. This is…ambrosial…worthy of the gods DEEEVINE. Worthy of the great pumpkin gods. THIS is the great pumpkin macaroni Charlie Brown!

What an AMAZING dish to add something a little different to your table. Pair this with an herb roasted chicken or Cornish hens and you have yourselves a fall feast.

Browned Butter and Sage Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 box of your favorite pasta (8-10 oz as sizes vary by brand)

1/2 pound Gourmandise with Kirsch (you can substitute ricotta, cream cheese or mascarpone)

1 1/2 cups pumpkin (NOT PIE FILLING) – You can easily substitute fresh

2 cups half & half

2 eggs

1 cup butter

Handful Fresh Sage Leaves

Salt & Pepper to Taste

5 Ritz crackers WELL crushed

1/2 stick butter melted

Directions:

Prepare your pasta, drain and put in large mixing bowl. Cut cheese into small cubes and blend with pasta. Add pumpkin, half & half, eggs and salt & pepper to taste, and mix well. Set aside. Heat saute pan over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add butter and allow to melt without moving your pan. When the butter begins to brown, swirl butter in pan to keep from burning. Add sage leaves to butter. Cook until the sage leaves become slightly crispy, then blend butter and sage with pasta mixture.

Pour pasta into a well greased baking dish. Top with Ritz crackers and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until loosely set.

I like easy. Life is too short to eat ugly food y’all.