The newest addition to my experimental cheese line, had some extra pumpkin on hand and well, natural orange color just lends itself to cheese-making. This one was super easy and surprisingly satisfying - more American than cheddar flavor (and admittedly just the slightest bit cheez whiz resemblant), but great for crackers/ sandwiches (also a decent dip if you heat it up). I've left the amounts below somewhat adjustable/customizable to taste - I find you need a lot of salt and acid (and nutritional yeast, and fat while we're at it) to make these alternative cheeses taste really cheesy so I kick up the notch on mine, but feel free to go slow with the amounts until you reach a balance you like. (As always, my recipes are mere suggestive guidelines ;). Happy queso making!
Bloom gelatin in water (sprinkle gelatin on top and let it sit for a few minutes).
Then blend with pumpkin and rest of ingredients (start with lesser amounts of the salt and acid and increase as you continue mixing so you can season to taste) over low heat on a stovetop until everything has melted and you have a cheese sauce-like consistency.
Take off heat and pour mixture into mold or parchment lined container.
Let chill/solidify in fridge for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).