As 2010 flies by in a blur of Christmas shopping, work deadlines, and finals, I’m left with my standard duties for our holiday parties: dessert.

Ever since I’ve gotten into baking, whenever family gatherings come around, I’m expected to bake up dessert for our holiday parties.  Let me tell you, in our family, every holiday is a party! This year, I experienced my very first family party as a vegetarian.

I have to admit, it was difficult.

Not because I missed meat and wanted to dig into the ham, turkey, steak and ribs, but because outside of rice and mac salad, there wasn’t really anything I could eat! So I parked myself in the kitchen and baked.

Hot cross buns, s’mores cookies, and monkey bread went out the kitchen and disappeared as fast as I made them.  By the end of the night, I was wiped from baking, and fully aware of how us veggies can easily gain weight!

This Christmas will be a bit more challenging. We’ll be volunteering on Christmas morning, and then heading to lunch with his family and dinner with mine.

So for dessert, I’ve decided to do something quick and easy: Pumpkin crunch.

In just a few simple steps, I can get dessert in the oven, and worry about something else. Like last minute Christmas presents!

I actually got this recipe from my friend Jenna’s blog, last year, when I was experimenting with different pumpkin desserts. It was a hit! I recently made it for the boyfriend and his coworkers when they were working into the wee hours of the morning, and decided it would be perfect to share with everyone here!

It takes about 20 minutes to get it into the oven, then an hour to bake and a few more to cool. Needless to say, this is a perfect night-before-the-party type deal.

First things first, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 13x9 inch pan with waxed paper.

Then mix the pumpkin with the evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and spices.

Mix until smooth and pour in the pan.

Now get your cake mix, and sprinkle the magical powder over the entire thing. I usually just sprinkle as evenly as I can (which resembles a mound in the middle) then spread it out with my fingers. 

Cover with nuts. I used walnuts because they were the only pre-chopped nuts on sale, and I decided that I’m not nuts enough about nuts to buy a nut chopper.

I’ve tried it with Macadamia nuts like Jenna suggests, and it’s just as delicious! Use whatever you (or your guests prefer).

Push down on the mixture lightly then hold your breath, and forget about all this nut nonsense. Why?

Because now we drizzle on the butter.

The entire cup of melted butter, to be precise.

I’m telling you, this is what makes pumpkin crunch, pumpkin crunch!

Don’t think about the calories.

The fat.

Tell yourself that it’s okay. Look again at that yummy delicious butter dripping into the cake mix and tell yourself that you’re going to share this with LOTS of other people.

(Even if you might forget that last part after you bake it)

I was obviously in a butter trance when I forgot this important step: TRIM THE WAXED PAPER. Yes, I once again forgot to do this. Yes, the apartment got a bit smoky when I checked in on the oven about 15 minutes in. Thankfully, Ry had already fallen asleep and he was completely oblivious as I ran around like a mad woman fanning smoke out the lanai door.

So remember: trim the waxed paper. It only smokes when there’s a significant amount (like the amount shown in the pictures above) that’s exposed to direct heat in the oven.  Even more ridiculous since I just blogged about it the other month!

Anyway, once you’ve trimmed that waxed paper, throw it in the oven for about an hour. Bake it up until the entire thing is nice and golden brown.

Let it cool completely, then flip it over onto a fancy platter, take off the waxed paper and serve.

Recipe, adapted from Jenna’s blog:

1 can (1lb 13 oz) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 box (18.25 oz) golden butter cake mix
1 3/4 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, line a 13x9 inch pan with waxed paper

Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and spices in a bowl and mix well. Pour this mixture into the wax paper lined pan and spread out evenly.

Sprinkle the cake mix then sprinkle the nuts over the pumpkin and press down lightly.

Drizzle butter over it all.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, the nuts will be brown and the pumpkin will be bubbling a bit.  Cool.

Turn the pan over on a platter then remove the waxed paper and serve, or devour, your call!

Happy Holidays!

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