chrystalinthekitchen

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup oil 4 eggs 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed 1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping 1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.

BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Size-Wise
Celebrate and enjoy a serving of this indulgent cake on a special occasion. How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers
Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.
Substitute
Omit caramel sauce. Microwave 10 KRAFT Caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Drizzle over cake just before serving; top with nuts.

Curried Pumpkin and Peas

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:24:46 -0800

Country Living, Oct 2009

http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/curried-pumpkin-peas-recipe

2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter 1 medium onion, sliced 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) curry powder 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper 2 pound(s) pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 1/2 cup(s) low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 cup(s) golden raisins 3/4 cup(s) frozen baby peas

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat, add onion, and cook until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in curry powder, salt, and pepper. Add pumpkin and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in broth and raisins, cover, and reduce heat to medium. After 15 minutes, add peas. Replace cover and continue to cook until pumpkin and potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with basmati rice

Cauliflower Bisque with Buttered Breadcrumbs

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:20:15 -0800

1 large

(2 pounds) white cauliflower 4 cup(s) basic light vegetable borth or basic root vegetable broth 1 lemon, plus more to taste 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) sea salt, plus more to taste 2 medium carrots 2 medium stalks celery 1 large yellow onion 3 tablespoon(s) olive oil 5 clove(s) garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon(s) herbes de Provence 2 ounce(s) fresh creamy goat cheese or cream cheese Buttered Breadcrumbs, for garnish

Trim the cauliflower, cut the florets in small pieces, and put them in a soup pot with 2 cups water and the vegetable broth.
Scrub the lemon and slice off a 1-inch-long strip of the zest, making sure you don’t have any of the white pith, as that turns bitter. Juice the lemon. Add 2 tablespoons of the juice and the strip of zest to the pot, along with a teaspoon of sea salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the lemon zest.
Meanwhile, peel, trim, and chop the carrots, celery, and onion. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped vegetables, along with the garlic and half a teaspoon of sea salt. Sauté the vegetables on a medium flame, stirring often, until they are soft and beginning to color, about 20 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence and keep stirring over medium heat for a few minutes longer.
Add the sautéed vegetables to the cauliflower. Cover the pot again and simmer another 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
Puree the soup to a creamy, silky consistency, either in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender. Taste, and add salt or lemon juice if needed. Return the soup to the pot, bring it back to a simmer, and add the cheese and the last tablespoon of olive oil, stirring gently as the cheese melts.
Sprinkle a heaping spoonful of Buttered Breadcrumbs over each serving of soup at the last minute, just as you are serving it.

Vegan version: If you want a vegan soup, omit the cheese and add a little more olive oil at the end. Garnish the soup with breadcrumbs sautéed in olive oil instead of butter.

If you don’t want to make buttered breadcrumbs but you have some good croutons on hand, croutons will be just fine.