Pumpkin Pie Switch!

For Thanksgiving this year we decided to switch things up a bit (tradition what???) ! No turkey & gravy this family (no stuffing or sweet potatoes either but whose keeping tabs on us!). We went with what started out to be an Italian fest & ended up being a mesh all things yummy : ) Chopped liver crostini followed by goatcheese & cranberry topped toasts. Smoked duck with cherry jus, traditional polenta that had to be stirred & stirred & stirred some more (seriously birds...1 hr of stirring, I still can't feel my arem & we made everyone help!) & creamed brussel sprouts with toased walnuts. Yummo!!! & the best thing was that none of us gorged, just theperfect amount of food with no food hangover!

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the best part.....Pumpkin Sandwich Cake in lieu of the traditional pumpkin pie!
(recipe & photo courtesy of Better Home & Garden)

~Theirs~

~Ours~
It was delicious & pretty easy to make.
(& by "make" I mean it was realy easy for me to watch my mom make it !)
She really did say it was easy....

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 of an 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Recipe Chocolate Cream Icing, below
• Pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; lightly flour pans. In bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In a second bowl beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Spread cake batter in prepared pans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; remove and cool thoroughly.

3. For filling, in a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; set aside. In a second mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in powdered sugar. Fold in whipped cream. To assemble, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over bottom cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Refrigerate while preparing Chocolate Cream Icing.

4. If Chocolate Cream icing is too thin, cover and chill 30 minutes until of spreading consistency. Too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice. Chill cake at least 1 hour before serving.

5. Store cake, loosely covered, in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.

6. Chocolate Cream Icing: In small saucepan bring 1/2 cup whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour over 1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate pieces in medium bowl (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes. Makes 1-1/4 cups.

Enjoy!

~~Photos of the hour long polenta stirring~~

~Ma~

~T & I~

He's actually stiring the cherry jus in this pic but that's only because he kept standing on a chair to stir the polenta & almost caught his shirt on fire from the gas stove ...ooopsy : )
...& yeah, I dyed my hair black & have no clue why my hand is in my pocket !?!?
&&& That is my new favorite shirt! You know how I'm big on names & stories, well...It's called The Forest For The Trees & it has a bird on one side & trees on the back & it fits soo beautifully!! It's by freeflightclothing on Etsy & it can be found right here!

Hope you birds had a fantastic Thanksgiving & did not rush out on Black Friday & get mulled over by crowds of people to get the latest mass produced thing out there ; )