Macaroni with Kale and Creamy Pumpkin Sauce~~#PumpkinWeek

Today is the first day of #PumpkinWeek, hosted by Terri of Love and Confections.  This is going to be a fun filled week of everything pumpkin.  I am a pumpkin fanatic and I am so excited to share my recipes and learn some new recipes this week.

I think that many people, when if they think of pumpkin, only think of Halloween Jack o Lanterns, Pie and perhaps a pumpkin roll.  Well, we are here to tell you that there is  much more than that to your average pumpkin.  Wait until you see all the great recipes we have in store for you.

I wanted to start the week of with a savory recipe. That's right....pumpkin is good even when it is not served in a dessert.  Pumpkin is a great source of potassium and vitamin A and C.  In this first recipe I share I guarantee you that if you don't tell your family that there is pumpkin in the recipe they will never know....just in case you have some picky eaters....you can simply tell them it is Mac and Cheese.  You can include any vegetables you like or none at all if you prefer.  I used Kale because we love it and it was in my fridge.  Kale is a nutritional power house to so if you can sneak it in, go for it.

The first thing I did to prepare for pumpkin week is make some pumpkin puree.  You can find my easy peasy recipe here or you can pick up some canned pumpkin puree.

Combine Cream Cheese, Milk, Butter and Pumpkin.

Cook and stir over low heat until melted and creamy.

Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In a separate pan, saute onion and kale in olive oil until tender.

Add Kale mixture to the Cream Cheese Mixture.

Stir to combine. 

 Add another drop of milk if sauce is too thick.

Toss with the pasta, cooked according to package directions.

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese or Parmesan/Romano Blend

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Pasta with Kale and Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

1 (1 lb) box pasta of your choice, I used Penne, cooked per package directions

1 (8 oz) block Neufchatel cheese

1 stick butter

3/4 c. milk

1 c. pumpkin puree

1/8 t nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 T. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 bunch Kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

1/4 c. Parmesan/Romano cheese blend 

Place cream cheese, butter, milk and pumpkin puree into a large sauce pan.  Cook and stir over med low heat until melted and combined.  Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.  In a separate pan saute onions and kale in olive oil until softened.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.. Add to the Cheese mixture.  Combine with your cooked pasta and place into a baking pan or casserole sprayed with olive oil.  Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.  Bake at 350* for 30 minutes or until browned on top and bubbly.  Print Recipe

And a little note from our host:

We are celebrating our love of the season with a whole week of pumpkin goodies, leading up to National Pumpkin Day. 17 Food Bloggers have come together to share over 65 recipes with you. In addition to homemade pumpkin puree, pie, and cookies, we are also sharing savory pumpkin dishes like hummus, chili and pumpkin corn chowder. Come back every day for #PumpkinWeek recipes. You can also find these great recipes and more on Love and Confections' #PumpkinWeek Pinterest Board!



Check out all the other #PumpkinWeek Bloggers and their recipes:
Pumpkin Loaf by Love and Confections
Lemongrass-Kissed Sankaya (Thai Pumpkin Custard) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes with Biscoff Frosting by The Spiffy Cookie
Pumpkin Peach Smoothie by Happy Food Healthy Life
Egg and Pumpkin Breakfast Cups by Curious Cuisiniere
Witches Eye Glass Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes by Lady Behind The Curtain
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Puree by Life Tastes Good
Pumpkin Orange Soup by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Roasted Pumpkin and Chickpea Samosas by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter by My Catholic Kitchen
Pumpkin Scones by Making Miracles
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies by The Pajama Chef
Pumpkin Molasses Cookies by That's My Home
Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oatmeal by Dizzy Busy and Hungry