homage to fall

fall is in the air. the air is crisper and carrying the smells of fall. the leaves are changing, some are even falling. making that delightful crunching sound when you step on them. the breeze is chilly, but not enough to keep you inside. the sun warms me just enough, but not too much. yes, i think today is the perfect fall day. now all i need is a hot caramel apple cider from starbucks and the scene would be complete. of course the ideal location to enjoy such a treat would be at this picturesque scene. traveling to japan during the fall is now on my must do list. for me, fall also means that the oven comes back from vacation. i love to bake and make wonderful home cooked meals in the oven, but it's hard to do so during the summer. in my mind it creates a vicious cycle. turn on the a\c to cool the house, insert heat from warm oven making the a\c run even more. don't misunderstand, i do run the oven in the summer, i just try really hard not to do it frequently. last year, we discovered a scrumptious pumpkin dessert, which i also crave at the beginning of fall. we love it so much that i have made it twice in the last two weeks. if you are a pumpkin fan, or even just a pumpkin indifferent, you must try it. i promise you will not be disappointed.

the great pumpkin dessert

1 150z can pumpkin
1 12oz can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 c sugar
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 c melted butter or margarine
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans

in a mixing bowl combine the first five ingredients. transfer to a greased 9x13 baking pan. sprinkle with cake mix and drizzle with butter. top with nuts. bake at 350 for 1 hour. serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.