Thanksgiving Desserts: It's all about pumpkin!

What is Thanksgiving without dessert?
Not a true Thanksgiving in my book!

We look forward to something with pumpkin, usually a pie, every year.  Everyone just loves pumpkin in my family so it's a favorite tradition of ours.

I usually make the dessert the day before Thanksgiving.  It's a good make ahead item and helps you save on pressure on the big day.

I'm bringing you four of my favorite desserts.  I hope you enjoy them.

Pumpkin Pie with Orange Marmalade - This is my new favorite pie.  The orange marmalade gives this a bright, fresh flavor.  I'll be making this pie this year as well.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee - An elegant dessert to serve instead of pie.   Kitchen Tip: You can also use leftover pie to make the brulee the day after Thanksgiving, crust and all!





LIBBY'S Famous Pumpkin Pie - a classic pie!  I grew up on this and it has been my go to pie for years.

Pumpkin Cobbler - a new favorite.  Warm comfort food at it's best!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Cobbler

Oh boy, do I have a dessert for you!

I'm loving my time enjoying the Autumn and all it's seasonal flavors.  Pumpkin being one of my favorites has been a common ingredient for me the past few weeks.

The other day MGG and I stopped at a Soup Plantation for lunch and they offered a Pumpkin Cobbler for dessert.  Well there went all my good attempts to eat a nice healthy salad and some soup...when this little temptation was calling my name.

I've never tasted Pumpkin Cobbler before and was so curious that I got a small bowl of this hot, fragrant cobbler, and added a blob of vanilla ice cream  (I know...so much for the healthy attempts) and tasted my first bite of pure bliss!  I can't even describe it.  Died and gone to heaven?  For sure! Hot, steamy, pumpkin custard topped with a crumbly cake like topping....H E A V E N.  I tell you that the addition of the vanilla ice cream is a must.  The melting vanilla just soothes this hot custard and rounds out the flavors perfectly.  

So back at home this dessert haunted me for days.  I knew I wanted to make one.  Like now.  So I sifted through all my mom's recipes and found one for Pumpkin Cobbler.  I knew I'd seen it somewhere!  The recipe was given to her by her cousin, Maxine Humble, but the original source is unknown. I'm sure this is a common recipe as it calls for the use of a cake mix for the topping.  

Out came the pans and I whipped this baby up in no time. It's really easy to make and would be a great substitute for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.    Plus this will feed a crowd with one dish.  Love that!  I'm so glad I found this recipe as it will certainly become a standard in our house.

Enjoy!



Pumpkin Cobbler
source:  Cousin, Maxine Humble
serves 15-18

3 eggs
1 15oz can of pumpkin
1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
1 c sugar
1/8 t salt
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1 T vanilla
1 pkg of yellow cake mix
1 c margarine, melted  ( used butter instead)
1 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat eggs and mix in the next 7 ingredients.  Pour into an un-greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the cake mix over the top and drizzle with the margarine. Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle chopped nuts over the top.  Bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown and top is set.

Honeycrisp Apple and Romaine Salad

I like to shop at grocery stores that I don't frequent often to see the different variety of items they sell.

The problem with that is that I'm usually there for hours on end checking out all the food. Mouth watering as I discover new items, and a cart so full of ingredients for new dishes, that I don't know what came over me!

On one such shopping expedition, I came a across some salad kits by Dole. I had seen these being used around the blogesphere and spotted one that I recall being praised as particularly good. Dole's Endless Summer Salad Kit. I don't care if it isn't summer any longer, I wanted to try this salad kit and that's what I did. So I grabbed some really nice Honeycrisp Apples and headed for home with a Harvest salad idea in mind.

Soooo glad I bought this kit. I must say that it's the bomb with the flavors and the freshness! Filled with Red Cabbage, Romaine, Carrots, a Summer Vinaigrette, Swiss and Gruyere Cheeses, Roasted Sunflower Kernels, Artisan-Style Croutons, Pepper and Herb Seasoning. You don't need much more than this. Just a small addition of some sliced apples, candied walnuts, and some red pepper for a little zip, and you have a wonderful summer turned harvest salad!

It was perfect to use what was included in the kit. I only left out the croutons and fresh herb seasoning, which I kept for another use. Their summer vinaigrette is also a winner! The perfect accompaniment for the apples in the salad.

Thanks to Dole for making such a great salad kit. I hope to try other versions soon. I hope you enjoy a nice harvest salad this fall.

Honeycrisp Apple and Romaine Salad

serves 4

1 pkg. Dole Endless Summer Salad Kit
Swiss and Gruyere Cheese, Shredded (from salad kit)
Roasted sunflower kernels (from salad kit)
1/4 cup roughly chopped candied walnuts
1 Honeycrisp apple
Summer Vinaigrette (from the kit)
About 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
About 1/4 tsp. pepper
red pepper, a pinch

Cut sides off apple into 4 pieces, leaving the core. Slice the apple pieces thinly with a mandoline or a knife. 

Place salad greens into a large bowl.  Add cheese, and sunflower seed from the kit to the bowl.  Add the candied walnuts as well.  Dress salad with Summer Vinaigrette tossing to coat.  

Add sliced apples to salad and toss to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper.  Serve.