If You Love Pumpkin .... (And Who Doesn't?)

I know it's technically not fall yet, but I think the general consensus 'round these parts is that we are READY for it!  And I have a fall dessert recipe for you that I know you will love.

Last night I hosted Supper Club (you already met these ladies) and it was the first time the girls had been to our new house.  I was going a little crazy trying to get everything together at the last minute, but the moment that we all sat down in the dining room and started passing the serving bowls around family-style, I was able to relax.

On the menu:

• Appetizers: black Cerignola olives, large green olives stuffed with smoked Provolone cheese, cornichons
• Salad: Mixed greens with pears, pecans, cranberries, and a pear gorgonzola dressing
• Entree: Creamy gorgonzola gnocchi with pancetta, sauteed onion and sauteed zucchini
• Dessert: Southern Living's Pumpkin Crisp

Everything was so, so good (and of course I didn't take any pictures, dang it!) but, by a landslide, everyone went crazy about the Pumpkin Crisp.  I just have to share this recipe with you all so that you can make it this weekend!

PUMPKIN CRISP

Prep: 15 min.; Bake: 1 hr., 5 min.; Stand: 10 min.

Ingredients

·         1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

·         1 cup evaporated milk

·         1 cup sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1 (18.25-ounce) package butter-flavored yellow cake mix

·         1 cup chopped pecans

·         1 cup butter, melted

·         Whipped cream (optional)

·         Ground nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

Stir together first 5 ingredients.

Pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture; sprinkle evenly with pecans.

Drizzle butter evenly over pecans.

Don't judge.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

For the printable version of the recipe, just click here.

Ya'll.  This dessert is amazing.  I didn't get a pretty picture of it right out of the oven, but here's a picture of some that remained after the girls left:

When you are making it, it is going to seem a little odd.  Specifically when you sprinkle the dry cake mix over the liquid ingredients in your 9x13 and it just sits there floating on top.  I checked the recipe over and over to ensure that I wasn't supposed to mix the two together.  But not mixing it is what causes that crunchy goodness.

Chances are, your pantry/fridge already contains sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and butter, so all you need to grab at the store today is a can of pumpkin, two small cans of evaporated milk, the cake mix, and the pecans!  Easy peasy.

After the girls left I was faced with this:

YIKES.

Which made me even more thankful for this:

salvation

Hearing the gentle whooshing of the dishwasher water and the clink-clink-clink of the half-dozen wine glasses getting sparkly clean made my heart happy.  :)

Happy weekend!