“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” — Henry David Thoreau
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
Our family gathers together each week to share a meal and each other’s company, giving thanks for having the things we need, the sun, the rain and the apple seed. Being part of a family means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life. We wish you a grateful Thanksgiving!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
I found this week’s recipe in Lunds & Byerlys Real Food magazine and decided to try it this week. It didn’t turn out as I expected, but the flavor was good and I found myself craving it… our granddaughter said she really liked it, and our daughter-in law asked me for the recipe for the thin pumpkin bars this morning! So… I guess it was an unexpected hit. The recipe calls for a 12 x 17 inch sheet pan, which I thought seemed big for the amount of ingredients… but I dutifully followed the recipe. Part of the crust burned because it was so thin (would use shorter bake time next time)… and the pumpkin and pecan layer was also very thin. The description was accurate: “crunchy, sweet, spicy, and rectangular”… with a slab you can cut whatever size pieces you want. It was flat and floppy, but delicious! Based on the photo with the recipe, I would try the next size smaller sheet pan to make it more pie-like and more of the delicious crust… or double the ingredients for the big sheet pan… but there is also something intriguing and unique about the ‘thin pumpkin bars’!
PUMPKIN PECAN SLAB PIE/BARS
COOKIE CRUST
- 8.8 ounce package thin spice cookies, such as Biscoff
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
PUMPKIN FILLING
- 15-ounce can pumpkin pie filling
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 large egg
PECAN TOPPING
- 1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Crush cookies in food processor or crush with a rolling pin in a plastic bag. (should be about 2 cups) Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter and press into the bottom of a 12 x 17 inch ungreased sheet pan. (There will be gaps in the crust.) Bake for 15 minutes (check to make sure it doesn’t burn), and remove from oven.
Make filling: whisk the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk and egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour over the crust and smooth with a spatula, leaving a 1-inch perimeter of crust visible (mine just spread to cover the whole crust).
Topping: combine the pecans, spices and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pumpkin filling (I had pecans more dense in some parts, none in others to account for different tastes).
Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling is firm to the touch. Let cool and cut into squares as desired. Serve as dessert with a dollop of whipped cream/topping… or as bars of various sizes for different tastes.
