Alice in the Kitchen

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Honestly, my mom should get credit for these.  I’ll never forget the year I asked for a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for my birthday, and she had a little issue with the stacking of the two round layers, so she crumbled the cake into a bowl and poured the frosting on top.  She called that “cake mash,” and it was delicious.  Now her idea takes a decidedly autumnal turn in these pumpkin pie bites – I hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

1 box French Vanilla cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can cream cheese frosting
1.5 pounds semi-sweet chocolate (or white bark or whatever you prefer)

Preheat your oven to 350.

Beat the cake mix with the pumpkin, spices, water, oil, and eggs, and bake in a 9 x 13 pan.

Crumble the cake in a bowl and add the can of cream cheese frosting.

Beat with an electric mixer until the cake mix holds together.

Roll into balls about the size of a golf ball.

Melt your chocolate.  Dip in your balls with a spoon and place on a waxed paper lined pan .

Decorate how you like!  Would be cute with little nuts, but I went with an orange colored drizzle to help identify the pumpkin.  The ones I dipped in white chocolate actually turned out much cuter!

Store these at room temperature and enjoy – thanks Mom 🙂

Pumpkin Apple Crisp

I wanted to find a recipe to put some of that pumpkin butter I just made to use, and the first thing I came across was a recipe for an apple cobbler-like dessert.  I modified it a little, and I think it turned out great!  Definitely a keeper for fall.

• 6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (I used three gala and three granny smith)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pumpkin butter
• 1 box pumpkin bread mix
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat your oven to 350.  Toss the apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar.

Add the cup of pumpkin butter and mix well.

Spread your apples in a pan and sprinkle the box of bread mix on top.  That’s right, just pour the bread mix on top.

Yes, dump it on.

Drizzle the melted butter over the dry mix, trying to cover thoroughly… but just do your best.

Pop in the oven for 45 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!!

Pumpkin Butter… pumpkin pie in a cup!

I love the fall for a lot of reasons, one of which is all the pumpkin flavored goodies you can make and buy right now.  Although I have a few pumpkin recipes that will get made several times during the season (pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin gooey cakes), I knew I wanted to make pumpkin butter at least once this fall.  This weekend afforded me the perfect opportunity, mostly because I had all the ingredients on hand INCLUDING apple juice because it was brought over to a party hosted at my house on Tuesday.  Normally I would never buy apple juice, nor would I be able to drink a whole container, but there was just enough left after the party to make a full batch of pumpkin butter – and if that’s not a sign it was time to make it, I don’t know what is!

This recipe is super easy and would make a great holiday gift.

• 1 29 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar (could substitute with brown sugar but I’d use a little less to avoid getting it too sweet)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan.

Stir well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  The color will turn a little darker and the consistency will become more smooth.  Pour into containers and let chill.

To serve (assuming you don’t just want to eat it with a spoon), just spread it on muffins, bread, graham crackers – anything you like really.  This will keep for about a week in the fridge or for months in the freezer.

Happy Fall!