Pumpkin Season

Sundays in my house are for worship, naps, and sometimes cooking that takes extra time. I like puttering in the kitchen when I have no deadline. This weekend I found a recipe that used pumpkin, and I altered it to incorporate the ingredients I actually had on hand. It turned out yummy, and it filled the house with the aroma of pumpkin--something I savor this time of year (even if the temperature outside is in the eighties). It serves 8-10.

Pumpkin Dessert
1 c. sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 29-oz. can of pumpkin

2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ginger

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. salt

1 5-oz. can evaporated milk

3/4 can 2% milk (use empty evaporated milk can)

1 box white cake mix (big box, not Jiffy sized)

1 c. chopped pecans 

8 T. melted butter

Cool Whip or Dream Whip (or vanilla ice cream)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Mix together the sugar, eggs, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and milk. Pour mixture into 9X13 baking pan.

3. Cut a diagonal opening in the dry cake mix plastic and pour evenly on top of the pumpkin mixture.

4. Sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly on top of cake mix.

5. Melt butter in a glass measuring cup, and drizzle it over all the nuts. 

6. Bake for one hour.   

7. Let mixture cool completely. Cut into generous squares and top with a dollop of Cool Whip. For garnish, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.