Sweet Potato Mac n' Cheese

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 10 oz. penne pasta (or other small, short pasta)
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 - 2 tsp. Dijon mustard (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 3 oz. feta cheese crumbles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400F. Put on a large pan of water to boil. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. When the water is boiling, add salt to taste, and then add the sweet potato pieces and cook them for about 10 minutes or until they are fork tender. Scoop them out of the water and place them in a large oven safe bowl or baking dish. Lightly mash them with a fork, without turning them into mush. Set aside. Reserve the water to cook your pasta in later. 

In a medium saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat and then add the flour. Whisk to combine well and cook for 1 - 2 minutes, creating a roux, then take the pan off the heat and slowly whisk in your milk. When it's all combined and smooth, put back on the heat. Switch your whisk for a wooden spoon and continue to stir until your gently bubbling sauce has lost any floury taste and has thickened. Add the mustard and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper, but keep in mind you are adding cheese later, so underdo the salt for now. 

Cook your pasta in the sweet potato water and remove it 2 minutes before the package directions indicate, as it will finish cooking in the oven as it bakes. Drain your pasta (reserving a bit of the pasta water) and then add the pasta to the mashed sweet potatoes. Fold in to combine. The heat of the pasta will make the mash easier to mix in. 

Add the feta cheese crumbles and fold them into the pasta mixture. Then fold in 1/2 of the white sauce adding about 1 1/4 cups of the cheddar cheese as you go. Add the remaining white sauce and fold to combine well. If you feel like it needs loosening up at all, you can use a bit of the reserved pasta water. 

Check for seasoning at this point and add more salt, if needed. When you are happy with it, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top and bake in your preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes, or until it's golden brown and bubbly. Serve hot and ENJOY!