Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced or grated)
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère (divided)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar (divided)
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • Chopped fresh sage

Instruction

  • Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni two minutes less than what the package directions dictate. Drain and reserve.
  • Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk constantly for two to three minutes. In the last 30 seconds, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly.
  • Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to create a smooth mixture. Stir in the Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer.
  • Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 cup Gruyere and 1 cup cheddar until melted, and then stir in the pumpkin purée until it becomes one cohesive mixture. Add the cooked macaroni to the pot and stir to coat. If you prefer a stove-top Mac and cheese, serve immediately. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter.
  • Pour the mac and cheese into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Top with the remaining ½ cup Gruyere and ½ cup cheddar and then sprinkle the Ritz cracker mixture on the cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let the macaroni sit for five minutes before serving. Enjoy!