Pumpkin "R" Us

I was tired of the standard pumpkin pie so I decided to try two new recipes.  One was brought to my families Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday and the other to Leon's on Saturday.  The recipes are very different but both have one common ingredients .....pumpkin.  I could eat pumpkin all year around but don't.  I love any type of squash so this time of year is one of my favorite time with squash being plentiful.   Okay I am rambling so here is recipe #1:
Triple Layer Pumpkin Spice Pie
2 cups of cold milk                                   1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip thawed
2 pkg. (4 servings size each) Jell-o Pumpkin Spice flavor Instant pudding & pie filling
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon                          1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1/2 cup pecans halves                              1 tsp. honey
BEAT milk, pudding and cinnamon until well blended.  Spread 1 1/2 cups onto bottom of crust.
ADD 1 1/2cups of Cool Whip to remaining pudding mixture; stir gently.  Spread over layer in crust, top with remaining Cool Whip.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour.  Meanwhile cook pecans & honey in skillet on medium-low heat  2 to 4 minutes or until pecans are caramelized, stirring frequently.  Spread onto sheet of wax paper. Cool. Sprinkle over pie just before serving.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes 10 servings.

Recipe # 2
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake
32 Pecan Sandies, finely crushed                1/4 cup of butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened      1 cup of sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin                                1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
tsp. vanilla                                                4 eggs
Heat oven to 325.  Mix crumbs with melted butter and press onto bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan.  Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended.  Add pumpkin, spice & vanilla, mix well.  Add eggs , 1 at a time, mixing after each until blended.  Pour into crust.  Bake 1 hour & 20 minutes to 1 hour & 30 minutes or until center is almost set.  Loosen cake from rim of pan.  Cool before removing rim.  Refrigerate 4 hours

Thanksgiving is a good time to spread a little mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

November Already????

Boy October flew by and I almost missed it.  I find that keeping up with a blog is a big time committment but I will try.   I love reading others so I hope I can do just as well.   My dad brings me groceries  (I know I am spoiled) and he always has something different for me to try.  This time it was wheat soup saltines.   I did not want to waste them in soup and I had the perfect recipe for them.

Crunch Bars

35 Saltine Crackers ( I used the whole grain or wheat)

½ cup of butter or margarine

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 package (8 squares) Bakers Semi- Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped

1 cup chopped Planters Walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place crackers in a single layer on foil- lined 15x10 inch baking pan.

Heat butter and sugar in a saucepan on medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended.  Bring to boil; boil 3 min. without stirring.  Spread over crackers

Bake 7 min. Immediately sprinkle with chopped chocolate; let stand 5 minutes.  Spread melted chocolate evenly over ingredients in pan; sprinkle with walnuts.  Cool. Cut or break into pieces.

I like to keep the pieces in the freezer until I serve them.

Today I made cookies for my son to send to college.  When we visited him in Oct. he commented on what his roommate had gotten and I had not had time to get cookies baked to take to him so I am making them to send in the mail since he will not be home until Thanksgiving.  He loves toffee so I had a recipe for Heath Bits 'o Brickle Toffee Bits.

Brickle Drop Cookies

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons of baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 1/3 cups Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits

1. Heat oven to 350 lightly greased cookie sheet

2. Beat butter, sugars, vanilla and salt in large bowl until blended.  Add eggs; beat well.

Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar until blended Stir in toffee bits

3. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly; remove to wire rack.  Cool completely.

About 6 dozen small cookies or 3 dozen large.