Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

2 C steel cut oats
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
5 cups milk (can use almond milk)
1 T pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c brown sugar (1/2 c sugar is plenty)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
Whipped cream for garnish
1/2 c chopped walnuts, optional

Combine ingredients in pot on stove and simmer until desired consistency, about 15 minutes or so.  Can also put combined ingredients in slow cooker, cooking on low 5-6 hours.  Garnish with whipped cream on top.

You may want to adjust how much milk you want to use for desired thickness. You may want to add 1 cup water to oats before cooking. Can also substitute ripe mashed bananas instead of pumpkin to make banana bread oats.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Love me some pumpkin dessert!


To cook in a jelly roll-sized pan, use these amounts:
4 eggs
1 c oil
2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 of a 29 oz can of pumpkin pie mix (I used pumpkin puree last time)
2 heaping cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp


Beat eggs.  Add oil, sugar, vanilla and pumpkin.  Mix.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix.  Bake in greased jelly roll sheet pan at 350 degrees for  about 25 minutes.


Frosting:  Cream 4 oz cream cheese and 1 1/4 cube butter.  Whip in mixer for until light and fluffy.  Add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 1/2 c powdered sugar.  Beat until smooth.

*Original recipe was for a larger amount.  When I made it with these amounts, it made a jelly roll sized pan, in addition to a 9"x13"pan.  The ingredients are increased by 1/3.  Thats a lot of cake!  

6 eggs

1 1/2 c oil

3 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 29 oz can pumpkin

3 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp salt

Frosting amount:

8 oz cream cheese

1 c butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3-4 c powdered sugar, depending on taste.  

Recipe Source:  My friend Rachele L.

Picture Source: Southern Food

One Bowl Healthy Pumpkin Muffins & Bread

The name of this recipe comes from the fact that you can just dump everything into one bowl-hence...easy! I added the "healthy" part and this recipe does well in its substitution with a more healthier version of the delicious pumpkin bread.

One Bowl Healthy Pumpkin Muffins & Bread
Source: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/, altered by Mel

3/4 C honey (I even used just 1/2 C or 1/2 C brown sugar)
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves (I usually omit this because I don't have it)
1 TBS molasses (I didn't have this and it still tasted great)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 2/3 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C melted butter
1/4 C cold water
1 C pumpkin (about half of a 15 oz can, or use fresh pumpkin puree)
optional: raisins and chopped walnuts

*(If ever I have a ripe banana around, I usually will mash it and throw that in there as well.)

Place all ingredients except nuts in a bowl and mix. For muffins, spoon mixture into 12 muffin tins for large muffins or 18 muffin tins for smaller muffins. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with nuts if desired. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. For bread, spoon mixture into greased bread pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-55 minutes.