Another pumpkin post

Because it is Thanksgiving I feel another pumpkin post is appropriate. Besides, nothing else of interest has occurred. I got my recipe here (modified it a bit to make it non-alcoholic) and it was a big hit. It was such a big hit that I never even got to try a piece because it was gone before I was ready for dessert. From what I heard though, it was a prefect spin off of pumpkin pie and extremely rich. It was very light on the pumpkin, heavy on the cream. I am a firm believer that you can never have too much cream, which is why I used the left over cream in the mashed potatoes which were delicious. (I didn't tell anyone I spiked the potatoes because people were enjoying them so much I didn't have the heart to tell them it was probably going to clog their arteries later.)

Anyway, enjoy!

(photo and recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman. I will stop infringing on copyrights when I remember to take my own pictures.)

Pumpkin Cream Pie

Ingredients

• FOR THE CRUST:
• 1-½ package Graham Crackers (about 15 Cookie Sheets)
• ½ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 stick Butter, Melted
• FOR THE FILLING:
• 1 box (3 Oz. Box) Vanilla Pudding (Cook And Serve Variety)
• 1 cup Half-and-half
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• Pinch Of Cinnamon
• Pinch Of Nutmeg
• Pinch Of Ground Cloves
• ½ cups (plus 3 Tablespoons) Pumpkin Puree
• ½ cups (additional) Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• Extra Graham Cracker Crumbs, For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Grind graham crackers in a food processor (or, if you don’t have a food processor, place them in a large ziploc and pound ‘em with a rolling pin.) Add powdered sugar and melted butter and process until totally combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan until nice and firm. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warm and “set.” Remove from oven and allow crust to cool completely.
In a medium saucepan, mix dry pudding mix with half-and-half and cream. Add spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Remove from heat, add pumpkin and stir to combine. Place lid on pot and set aside to cool. When cool enough, place pot in the fridge to cool completely.
When mixture is cool, remove from the fridge. In a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and brown sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy. Fold in pumpkin cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled crust.
Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with graham crackers crumbled on top.

My second post is about The Best Pumpkin Bars Ever!

That's right, you heard me. The second post is about The Best Pumpkin Bars Ever. Yes, they are so good they deserve capitalization. 


There is a funny story about this particular recipe. Once upon a time (aka three years ago) when I was a bright-eyed sophomore at BYU, I lived with a girl who was a fabulous baker and a notorious recipe hog. I do not like nor do I understand people who will not share recipes. It is a sin akin to stealing, in my mind. Do not tantalize me with your delicious food and then prevent me from ever having it again because I cannot make it myself and there is no way I am ever living with you again because you are weird and stingy.


Anyways, so this roommate made these pumpkin bars and they were the best ones I had ever tasted. I do not typically like pumpkin flavored things but these were delicious with just a hint of pumpkin flavor and the overwhelming goodness of cream cheese frosting. I was sold.


So, since she would not let me have the recipe, I did what any good Mormon girl would do; I left church 20 minutes early one Sunday so I could go home, raid my roommates room, find her cookbook, and copy her recipe word-for-word.


And then I made them for the everyone I came in contact with and created world peace which is why I will not go to H*** for stealing.


Also, I made them last week at a work baking competition and won second place and got this tee-shirt!

Moral of the story: being a recipe hog does not pay and stealing recipes and sharing them is a virtue. 

Anyways, here is the recipe. I have adapted it a little bit since I acquired it and have been better off for it. (Please note the red, heart-shaped sparkle plate my mom sent me for Valentine's Day awhile ago. Thanks mom!)

Pumpkin Bars

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 16 oz can pumpkin
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin together until light and fluffy.  In separate bowl, stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda: add to pumpkin mixture.  Mix thoroughly.  Spread batter into a ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan (the foil pans work very well).  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Cool and frost with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese together; stir in vanilla.  Gradually add sugar, a little at a time, beating well until mixture is smooth. 

The Beginning of the End.

I have done it. I have joined the blogisphere. Is that a word? If it is, I probably spelled it wrong. If not, well I made it up and am trademarking it so don't even try to steal it. Anyways, more interesting posts to come. Who knows what I will post about... I haven't even decided yet.