Thankful for this DESSERT

Note: I already had this post written before I realized we'd be skipping our usual Alphabe-Thursday this week. Ms. Jenny suggested we write about a memory, something we're thankful for, etc., and since this recipe had a memory attached to it (and I'm always thankful for DESSERT) I decided to go ahead and post it. I'll have something else for the letter "D" next week.




Welcome to Alphabe-Thursday sponsored by Ms. Jenny Matlock at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent." This week we are studying the letter "D" as in Thanksgiving Day DESSERT.

I'm typing this post on Tuesday evening and plan to get up early tomorrow morning and begin preliminary preparations for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Of course, no big meal would be complete without DESSERT, so I plan to begin my day making Pumpkin Crunch for DESSERT. That way I'll be able to include a picture when I publish this post on Wednesday afternoon.

I've mentioned before that I love pumpkin, but not pumpkin pie. I don't know why...I guess it's the texture that bothers me. Anyway, about ten years ago a lady brought Pumpkin Crunch to a bible study I was attending. I believe every single person asked for the recipe, so the following week she brought printed copies. I've since tried variations of this recipe, but this one is the best! It's very simple to make which is an extra bonus. You don't even have to get the electric mixer dirty. By the time some of you read this post it will be Thursday and I'll have already pigged out on Pumpkin Crunch for DESSERT!

PUMPKIN CRUNCH

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated skim milk

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 box yellow cake mix with pudding

1 cup chopped pecans

2 sticks melted butter

Line a 13” x 9” pan with wax paper. Mix together evaporated milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, and sugar. Pour into pan. Sprinkle cake mix over top and gently pat. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top and gently pat. Dribble melted butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool completely. Turn onto plate and remove wax paper. (Note: I don’t have a plate big enough, so I usually cover a cookie sheet with foil and turn the cake onto that.)

ICING

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip

Mix together and frost cooled cake. (You could use an electric mixer for this part and cream the cream cheese first. I don't bother.)

Here are some pictures of the Pumpkin Crunch I baked this morning. You just stir the pumpkin, milk, sugar and cinnamon together with a spoon.

Pour in the wax paper lined pan and sprinkle on the cake mix. Pat it down a little, add the pecans and pat again. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake.

Cool thoroughly and turn over onto a plate (I use a cookie sheet) and peel off the wax paper. Frost with the Cool Whip mixture. Keep refrigerated.



I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! To read more Alphabe-Thursday Thanksgiving Day posts head to Ms. Jenny's blog.