Fall is finally in the air in southern California! It happened this past weekend!! What better time than to celebrate the harvest and the turning colors and falling leaves. And of course, many a kitchen will be filled with the heart-warming aromas of our favorite seasonal delights piping fresh out of the oven!

I grew up loving my grandma's homemade (from crust to filling) pumpkin pies and I tried making one from scratch once. It was quite an endeavor, due to the process of taking a whole pumpkin, cleaning it, steaming it, and ending up with enough pulp to equal two large cans. Spare me the extra time and idealistic notion that natural is better, in this particular case. Canned pumpkin will work just fine without compromising anyone's integrity!

Give these two recipies a try! They are both very easy and will compliment both formal and informal settings.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

What you will need

2 (14 ounce) packages gingerbread mix

1 (5.1 ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix

1(30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping

1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamon into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty punch bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle on the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Yield 20 servings.

Pumpkin Delight

What you need

3 large eggs

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 package of Betty Crocker Yellow Cake mix

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, pumpkin, sugar, and spices. Stir until smooth. Add evaporated milk and stir to blend. Pour into prepared pan (large brownie pan size.) Sprinkle cake mix over the top and spread chopped pecans. Drizzle melted butter over the top. Bake 50-55 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. Top with your favorite whipped cream and enjoy!