Pumpkin Trifle

1 (14-ounce) packages  spice cake mix plus ingredients to bake it.

1 (5.1-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping

Directions

Bake the spice cake mix according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cinnamon into the pudding. Crumble 1/4 - 1/2 the spice cake into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/4 - 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the spice cake, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining spice cake, pudding, and whipped topping. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours prior to serving. You could serve the trifle can be layered in a punch bowl, or even make your Spice Cake from scratch.

no corn syrup pecan pie

i'm intimidated by pie crust so i cheat and use a store bought crust (not pillsbury though, don't worry.)


1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon flour (any flour will do)
1 tablespoon milk (you could use non-dairy milk, i don't think it would matter, it's just for the moisture)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

1. preheat oven to 400* 
2. beat the eggs until they are foamy 
3. stir in the melted butter; stir in the flour and sugars; stir in the milk, vanilla and nuts
4. pour into your pie shell and 
5. bake @ 400* for 10 minutes to get the top crusty then @ 350* for 30-40 minutes until it's done

Baked Pumpkin Seeds

Wash & Dry (Pat dry it good enough. You just want extra water on them.)
Melt together 1 stick of butter & 4 TBS salt
Take off heat
Add in 3 1/2 cup seeds
Soak over night

Heat & stir till butter is melted again
Pour off excess liquid
Put seeds on cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 30 mins

broccoli cheddar soup

Ingredients:1 stick butter
2/3 c flour
1 onion
1qt 1/2&1/2
1 qt stock (i use chicken, but use what you like)
3 lg carrots
2 heads of broccoli
16 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese block (pre-shredded doesn't melt the same and is yucky)
1/2 tsp nutmeg

4 basic steps:
1.) make a roux
2.) mix the stock and 1/2&1/2
3.) cook the veggies
4.) blend


- chop the onion, in a small pan sweat the onion with about a 1tbsp of butter
- while the onion is cooking, make the roux (turn the stove on LOW and leave it there until the soup is ready.)
- melt the rest of the butter in a big soup pot. when the butter is melted, stir in the flour.
- pour in the stock and 1/2&1/2. stir
- set your timer for 20 minutes, stir once in a while
- while you are waiting, peel and shred the carrots and chop the broccoli
- when the timer goes off, dump in the cooked onion, shredded carrots and chopped broccoli, stir
- set your timer for another 20 minutes
- while you are waiting this time, shred the cheese.
- when the timer goes off, use your immersion blender and chop up the veggies.
- then mix in the cheese slowly so it has time to melt. (if you blend after you put the cheese in, your blender could get gunky.)
- stir in the nutmeg (ew. nutmeg? yes. trust me.)

this recipe makes enough for about 10 servings. we eat half and freeze half. the frozen half is poured into a 12 cup and a 6 cup muffin tin. i put the muffin tins in the freezer over night and in the morning i pop them out and put them in a ziploc.

fridge to table --> 45 minutes.