My mother did not learn to bake until after she married my father, and he taught her how to make pies, baked stuffed bell peppers, baked apples, baked or roasted turkey. and even Elephant Ears. His was the best pie dough around.

My mother did not realize what actually was required to make a pumpkin pie when she made her first one. She bought a pie shell and a can of pumpkin (not filling, the plain pumpkin), poured the pumpkin from the can into the shell, and baked it. My father ate it, said it was good, and taught her to make a pie the next day, so Thanksgiving was not a total loss. [Something similar happened with the turkey, but it could be saved.]

Here are several ways to bake pumpkin without making the pie. All are delicious.

Makes 3 pounds of delicious candy.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Cups sugar
• 1.5 Sticks of butter or margarine
• 1 12-oz Can evaporated milk
• 1/2 Cup canned solid pack pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 12 oz butterscotch chips
• 1 jar or 7 oz marshmallow crème, any flavor but plain is great
• 1 cup chopped toasted almonds
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, but artificial is OK

INSTRUCTIONS

• In heavy pot, combine sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin, and spice and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
• Keep on boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 234 degrees F on the candy thermometer (10 minutes should do it).
• Remove from heat and stir in butterscotch chips.
• Add marshmallow crème, nuts and vanilla; mix until and blended.
• Quickly pour the dessert into a cooking sprayed 13x9-inch baking pan, spreading evenly; don’t overwork it.
• Cool the candy to room temperature and cut into squares with a knife dipped into hot water.
• Store this fudge tightly wrapped in your refrigerator to avoid picking up odors of other foods. Pumpkin Pie Onion Fudge is not so good.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Box of yellow cake mix
• 1/2 Cup soft butter or margarine
• 1 Whole Egg
• 1 Can (29 ounces) pumpkin
• 3 Whole Eggs
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 Cups sugar, divided
• 1/4 Cup butter, softened
• 1 Cup chopped pecans
• Honey and/or whipped topping, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove 1 cup of the cake mix from the box and save it.
• Mix the remaining cake mix, 1/2 cup soft butter and 1 egg.
• Press this mixture evenly into a 13x9-inch baking dish.
• Mix together pumpkin, 3 eggs, the evaporated milk, cinnamon & 1 cup sugar and pour this over the crust.
•  Mix the saved 1 cup cake mix, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup soft butter until crumbly to make a topping. Sprinkle it over filling and sprinkle nuts on top.
• Bake about 75 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Serve warm with whipped topping and/or honey.

Makes 8 dessert or breakfast waffels

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 Cup butter  
• 1.5 Cups all-purpose flour  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder  
• 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar  
• 1 teaspoon salt  
• 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice  
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Cup of mashed sweet potato or pumpkin puree or half a cup of each 3 Whole Eggs, separated  1 Cup whole or 2% milk
• Toppings of your choice – syrup, honey, whipped topping, fruit, honey, nuts, apple butter, ice cream, scalloped apples, raisin sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

• Melt butter or margarine and set it the pan aside to cool. 
• Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, and spices in a large bowl and stir to mix completely. 
• In a second bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sweet potato or pumpkin puree.
• Next, add in the milk and the cooled butter and stir to mix together well; pour this mixture into the flour-based mixture and stir together to moisten. Don’t overwork it. 
• In a third, smaller bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Then fold the whites into the rest of the brownie mixture. Using an ice cream scoop, load the batter onto a hot waffle iron and cook.
• Serve with toppings of your choice (see above) 

INGREDIENTS

• ½ Cup shortening, butter, or margarine
• 1 Cup light brown sugar  
• 2 Whole Eggs  
• 2/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla  
• 1 Cup all purpose flour  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon  
• ½ teaspoon baking soda  
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice  
• ½ Cup broken English or black walnuts  
• ICING:  
• 3 Tablespoons butter  
• 3 Tablespoons orange juice  
• 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel  2 Cups confectioner's sugar
• Additional toppings of your choice. 

INSTRUCTIONS  

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cooking spray a 13-by-9-inch pan.
• Using a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and brown sugar together well.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating each well into the batter, then beat in the pumpkin and vanilla.
• In another bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and spices.
• Add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture and blend together, then stir in the nuts.
• Spread his batter evenly into the pan.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, cool a bit, and serve warm.  Icing:  In a small bowl, beat the butter, orange juice, and orange peel until well blended. Include the confectioner's sugar, stir and spread into the cooled cake.
• Cut cake into squares and top with anything you like. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups sifted flour
• ½ Cup instant mashed potatoes
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks butter or margarine
• 3 Cups sugar
• 2 Whole Eggs
• 1 1/2 Cups (12 oz) canned pumpkin
• 1 Cup chopped nuts – pecans or walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

• Sift together the flour, potatoes, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
• Melt butter; stir in the sugar, eggs, and pumpkin.
• Add sifted dry ingredients and nuts and mix.
• Pour into a cooking sprayed 15x10-inch jellyroll pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.
• Cut into squares after cool enough to cut.