Three Recipes From One Can of Pumpkin

Ever wondered how to perfectly sync amounts of canned pumpkin and evaporated milk?  Well, next time you open a 30-oz can of pumpkin and a 12-oz can of evaporated milk, here's a combination of three recipes that'll do the trick.  Assuming you don't want to make all three recipes on the same day, refrigerate leftover pumpkin and milk in separate, air-tight containers for no more than four days. 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (recipe by Ree Drummond)

Makes 12 muffins.

Follow recipe at link above as-is, but if you're serving muffins to go along with your pot roast, skip the cream cheese frosting and the crumb topping (or if you have a seared conscience and never struggle with guilt, go ahead and include both).

If you want to have what the kids and I affectionately deemed "Pumpkin Custard Cups," accidentally cancel your oven timer about halfway through baking, forget how much time was left, estimate time, test muffin with a toothpick, remove muffins from oven, watch their centers collapse, open one and discover it's gooey inside, put back in the oven for another 5ish minutes, and then eat as-is, goo and everything.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars (adapted from recipe by Diana Rattray)

Serves however many people you choose to feed from a 9x13 pan.

Base:

9 T butter, melted

1½ c brown sugar, packed

1½ tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1½ c canned pumpkin

1½ c flour

1½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 T cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp ginger

Topping:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

2/3 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

¼ c flour

Preheat oven to 350.

For base, beat butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs until light and creamy. Beat in pumpkin.  In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, and then slowly beat into wet mixture until well blended.  Spread into greased 9x13 pan.

For topping, combine all ingredients and beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy, or until you're tired of beating it and accept the little lumps.  Spread over pumpkin layer and swirl with knife.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to desired temperature in pan on wire rack.  Warm any leftovers the next day and serve with eggs and ham for lunch.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Milkshake (adapted from recipe by Maggie Hoffman)

Makes just under 6 cups (4 full glasses)

Combine in blender:

the rest of your can of pumpkin (1/2-2/3 cup)

1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese

the rest of your can of evaporated milk (1 cup)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

4 1/2 cups no-sugar added vanilla ice cream (or if you're not inclined toward guilt or flatulence, full-sugar ice cream is fine)

Pour into glasses and freeze for about 20 minutes to thicken slightly (a good time to bathe your young children).