Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups dried elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

1 cup (4 ozs.) Fontina cheese, shredded

1 can (15 ozs.) pumpkin

1 tablespoon snipped 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, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return to pot.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt & pepper. Add cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in Fontina, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is melted. Stir sauce into pasta. Transfer to ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dish.

In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, nuts and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with sage.

Yields 8 side-dish servings.