Pumpkin Fudge

Perfect for the Holidays - Pumpkin Fudge

Whether for the Thanksgiving Table or for Christmas, Pumpkin Fudge is a delicious twist on the favored standard.   It's a melt in your mouth pumpkin pop!   Careful, they are addictive but easy to make.

Pumpkin Fudge

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 C dark brown sugar
• 3/4 C butter
• 5 oz evaporated milk
• 2/3 C packed pumpkin
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 t fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/4 t ground allspice
• 1/8 t ground cloves
• 2 C white chocolate chips
• 1, 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
• 2 t vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 C chopped pecan for added crunch 

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and use a little bit of butter to get it to stick to the pan.

In a heave saucepan, combine sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and spices.  Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.   Continue to boil until a candy thermometer reaches 235-240 degrees.

 Remove from heat and stir in the white chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff until melted and combined.   Add vanilla extract.   Add pecans if you want.   Pour into prepared pan and let cool for 2 hours then refrigerate to fully cool.   Once completely cool, lift parchment from pan and cut into 1 inch pieces and serve.

Hill Country Pumpkin and Pecan Pie

I know I've said it numerous times, but Autumn is my favorite season.   The promise of cooler temperatures, changing foliage colors, falling leaves and the smell of smoke from an outdoor fire make me the happiest!   I am able to put on the breaks of my busy schedule and actually take a moment or two or three and just sit outside enjoying it all.  And even though in Texas we don't get much color, I'm blessed to have wonderful friends who send me their pictures so I can enjoy it with them.   You know who you are... it's amazing and I'm very thankful.

When you make this unique pie, your home will permeate with the smells of Autumn and your family will devour it fast!

Hill Country Pumpkin and Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• Grandma Bonnie's Double Pie Crust, recipe below (Longaberger Baskets) THE BEST EVER!
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C dark brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t Ancho Chili Power
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1 t salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 T vanilla bean paste
• 15 oz packed pumpkin
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 1 C Texas Pecans, rough chopped

Directions:   Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.   Using the double pie crust recipe below, roll out one large round and lay it into your pie plate, set aside.  Use the remaining dough and make fall cutouts; I used a small pumpkin and leaf cutter.

In a large bowl, mix the sugars and spices together then add your eggs and whisk. 

Add the vanilla bean paste and pumpkin, mixing well.   Slowly add the evaporated milk and again, mix well.   Toss in your pecans, mix and pour into your uncooked pie shell.

Using water as an adhesive, add your fall cutouts to the lip of the pie crust. 

Brush with an egg wash and place in the oven.   Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes more.   Cool completely.

Grandma Bonnie's Double Pie Crust from Longaberger Basket
(the best pie crust recipe ever, in my opinion)

Ingredients:

•  4 cups flour
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 1/2 cups lard
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1 T. vinegar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:    In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix together egg, vinegar and water. Add to flour mixture. Mix until dough is moistened enough so it holds together when it is formed into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until well chilled. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12" circle.  Place the crust in the freezer while preparing the filling.
Makes 2 double crust pies.

Pumpkin Roll

After my mother had her back surgery, I wanted to make something yummy for her.   Since we are finally in autumn I grabbed my new favorite, the trusty pumpkin, and made a lovely pumpkin roll with a cream cheese frosting garnish with salty roasted pumpkin seeds and dusted with freshly grated nutmeg.

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 C vegetable oil
• 1/2 C apple sauce
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 C canned pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 2 C flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1t ground cloves
• 1 t freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease and flour a jelly roll pan and set aside.   Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices and set aside.  In a large bowl combine the sugar and oil.   Blend in the applesauce, vanilla and canned pumpkin.   Beat the eggs in one at a time.   The 1 cup at a time, add the flour mixture.   Spread the batter into jelly roll pan and bake for 20-24 minutes.   Remove from oven and let cool a bit.   Generously dust a large kitchen towel with confectioners sugar and turn out the cake.   Sprinkle top with confectioners sugar and gently roll cake up to cool.

 

 While the cake is cooling, toast some pumpkin seeds for garnish...

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 2 C confectioners sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:   In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter, then mix in the vanilla and gradually the confectioners sugar.   Add the nutmeg and if it's too thick, thin with a bit of heavy cream to your desire consistency.

To assemble the pumpkin roll, gently unroll cake and fill center with frosting.   Roll back up and transfer to serving platter.   Frost the outside of the roll, garnish with crunchy and salty roasted pumpkin seeds and dust with freshly grated nutmeg.   SERVE!

 

Warm Pumpkin Bread with a side of creamy cheesecake sauce

My house still smells wonderful after baking several loaves of my Pumpkin Bread.   I made up a quick Cheesecake Sauce and with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top this dessert is complete.   Did I say dessert?   How about for a snack, breakfast... we eat it all throughout the day!   Enjoy!

Warm Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 C water
• 2 C brown sugar
• 1 C white sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 3 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1 tn ground nutmeg
• 1/2 t ground cloves
• 1/4 t ground ginger
• 1 C chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans. 

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water,sugars and vanilla until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.   Add chopped nuts if desired.   Pour into the prepared pans. 

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cheesecake Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 4 T half and half

Directions:   In a bowl cream the cream cheese with the powdered sugar.   Add vanilla, mix then add the half and half, a tablespoon at a time until you have a creamy sauce consistency.   Add a dollop to your warm pumpkin bread and dust with cinnamon.