Image from wikipedia

I’m not a big pumpkin pie person. I do, however, love this dessert – this recipe is from NP’s grandma, and it is easy and yummy! [I recommend you serve it with hot cider... although coffee is always an excellent companion!] :)

Crust:
Crumble together-
1 1/2 cups flour [I used fresh milled wheat and it worked great!]
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Press the crust mixture into a 9×13″ pan and bake for 15 minutes at 400°. Stir after baking. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and set it aside – pat the remaining amount back into the pan.

Filling:
Prepare 2 packages instant vanilla pudding with 1 1/3 cup milk.

Add:
2 cups pumpkin*
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Fold a small container of cool whip into the pudding/pumpkin mixture.

Spread filling over cooled crust, and top with reserved crumbs.
Refrigerate until serving.

*I like to bake my own pumpkin for this. If you’ve never done this, it’s easy and tastes so good!! Cut a small pie pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Lay cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake at 350° until it is soft – I press a spoon on the back of the pumpkin halves and see if they are easy to “smoosh.” :) Let them cool, scrape out the pumpkin from the skin, and mash with a potato masher, puree in a food processor, or run through a food mill.

Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates is hosting a “fall fruits festival” this week with lots of recipes linked up for some of our favorite fall fruits… and she has included chocolate! Hooray! :) Click over today for more great pumpkin recipes.

This is also linked to Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam – even more yummy recipes are linked up over there! :)

Happy cooking!