How To Make Pumpkin Spoonbread

After the holidays, many a home cook has leftover canned goods or feels tempted to stock up on canned goods as the supermarkets try to sell their Thanksgiving overstocks.  Here is a recipe that makes use of leftover cans of pumpkin pie filling and a cake mix found on sale this week in Thanksgiving clearance at the store.

Recipe for Pumpkin Spoonbread

Mix 1 can pumpkin pie filling with a cake mix -- such as Betty Crocker Butter Pecan, although Carrot Cake and Spice Cake also work -- to make Pumpkin Spoonbread.  The end product comes out like Spooned Cornbread, except with a pumpkin flavor.  The recipe can be adapted to any size can of pumpkin pie filling.  The more pumpkin you have, the greater the pumpkin flavor will come through.  You can add spices or nuts to make your spoonbread extra special.

You will want to adjust the amount of oil and water to get a proper texture for spoonbread.  The pie filling adds liquid to the cake mix, so you will not need as much water as called for by the cake mix.  It's hard for me to tell you an exact conversion of oils because I used olive oil rather than vegetable oil. Don't douse it in oil and you will be fine.  As for the eggs, you might try adding an extra egg to the mix for a more cakelike texture, or keep the number of eggs the same for a highly spoonable texture.

Ingredient of the Day:  Pumpkin Pie Filling

The author is not paid for making a recipe with the ingredients nor is she provided with free samples of products used in the recipe.

Where To Dine Out For Elegant Thanksgiving Dinner in Philadelphia PA, Kennett Square PA, Wilmington DE

To Host An Elegant Thanksgiving Dinner Is Made Easy By Fine Dining Restaurants That Cater The Thanksgiving Holiday in Philadelphia PA, Kennett Square and Chadds Ford PA, and Wilmington DE.

Longwood Gardens   Kennett Square, PA

Green Room at Hotel DuPont     Wilmington, DE

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Brandywine Prime    Chadds Ford, PA

10 Arts Bistro   for a spluge, Philadelphia, PA

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Please comment with your fine dining suggestions for Thanksgiving Dinner in the Brandywine River Valley!

Williams Sonoma features Penna Dutch Apple Dumplings; and FREE Septa Ride For A Friend

The 2011 Thanksgiving catalog from Williams-Sonoma features a recipe known well by those of us in the Brandywine Valley:  Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings (p. 11)!  Hot, spiced apples are covered in a flaky crust.  The origin of the recipe is a local chef as well.  It comes from MacGregor Mann, a sous chef at Amada, the Spanish tapas restaurant by TV personality Jose Garces.  Apparently MacGregor is inspired by comfort food on his days off!

 
Therefore, no longer do you have to hoof it to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia to taste the flaky crust and rich apple filling of hot apple dumplings cooked Amish-style!  (But, we can't blame you for spending an enjoyable day in the city at this time of year, eating and shopping!)

Photo from Visitphilly.com

Note the Snooki tan on the "Amish" server.  Costume or not? You be the judge.

 

 
If you go:  Leave the car at the train station, especially in the crowded holiday season.  (If in doubt, watching a rerun of Parking Wars on A&E should clear things up for you!)  Plan ahead to take SEPTA regional rail into the city.   P.S. The train stop for Reading Terminal Market is Market East!   Official address of the market:  12th and Arch.


Related Article:  Have a SEPTA Train Pass and Your Friend Rides FREE This Thanksgiving Weekend Nov. 24, 25, 26, 27, 2011