Grandma York's Pumpkin Pie Squares!

This is a nice change from the same old pumpkin pie served every holiday season. Don't get me wrong now. I'm not a pumpkin pie hater. I LOVE pumpkin pie! In fact, I pretty much love ALL desserts pumpkin!

I was first introduced to pumpkin pie squares when I was about 13 years old. My Grandma York had a new recipe she wanted to try out that year as one of the Thanksgiving desserts (mainly for the kids, because you get nearly twice as many servings from a dish of this as you do from one pumpkin pie). I distinctly remember certain grownups looking at the new dessert and then looking at us kids. Granted, I was just a kid, but I'm pretty sure it was look of pity and justification. "Poor kids. They won't be getting any of Grandma's pumpkin pie this year. Then again, they are JUST kids and probably wouldn't appreciate it anyhow. Yes, this pumpkin squares thing will be fine for them." Now make no mistake. I don't recall anyone actually saying these words to me. But you'd be astounded as to what comes across in a look from a grownup when your a kid. No matter though. Grandma served me up a pumpkin pie square with a dollop of cool whip and after taking my first bite, I KNEW who had the better deal THAT Thanksgiving Day! The adults also realized how delicious they were. I'm thinking this was due in part to hearing us grandkids rave about it!

Years later, when I was about to get married, my aunts threw me a bridal shower. At this shower, each guest brought along with their gift a spice with a recipe attached. This is a great idea that I have used at every bridal shower I have been involved in planning and is always greatly appreciated and fun. Go take a look in your own spice cabinet or rack and think of how much money you have invested in all of your spices there. Quite a chunk of change, right? So it's nice for a brand new bride and groom to have a little more than filled salt and pepper shakers to season their foods when they first get married. Plus, you've already started your own collection of recipes. One of my most favorites is the pumpkin pie squares recipe from Grandma York. I've used it so much that it's bent, creased and kitchen stained. I have it copied on another card, but I feel closer to my Grandma, who passed away a few years ago, when I pull it out, rest it on the counter and begin my baking. It has a hole punched in the side where she ran the ribbon through to tie on the little plastic jar of pumpkin pie spice. This reminds me of my own bridal shower and how much my aunts loved me to think of something so sweet and helpful. When I flip it over to read the directions on how to make it, my eye is immediately drawn to the bottom. There, I read three of the most touching words. Love Grandma York. My heart and my eyes both feel warm and I say softly, "I love you too, my Grandma York. Now let's do some baking."

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix (set aside 1 cup of the dry cake mix for topping)
1/2 cup softened margarine or butter
1 egg

Filling:
2 cups (1 15 oz. can) canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1 cup reserved yellow cake mix
1/4 cups softened margarine or butter
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of a 9 X 13 in. pan, either with shortening or cooking spray. Mix ingredients for crust and press evenly into the bottom of the pan. If it gets a little too sticky to handle, just dip your hands in cold water, shake them off and go back to pressing. Or you can use waxed paper if you wish. Mix the ingredients for the filling until blended and pour evenly over crust. Using a pastry blender, mix the ingredients for the crumb topping and spread evenly over the filling. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Cool completely, cut into squares and serve with whipped topping. Yields about 15 servings.