Pumpkin Bread Pudding

The first time I made this recipe I thought I was in heaven. I love this time of year because of all the yummy pumpkin infused goodness that comes with it, and this recipe is definitely one of those your family will look forward to each year.

Ingredients:
1 1 to 1 1/4 lb pumpkin
3 1/4 cups milk
1 1/2 cups eggnog
5 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup golden raisins
8 cups french bread cut up into 1" cubes
Warm Caramel Sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350*.
Cut pumpkin into quarters, cleaning out seeds and strings.
Place pumpkin, cut-side down, on a lightly greased baking pan. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until almost tender.
Remove peel, cut baked pumpkin into 3/4" cubes.
In a large bowl, stir together milk, eggnog, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spice. Sprinkle raisins on the bottom of an ungreased 3 quart rectangular baking dish.
Spread bread over raisins.
Pour egg/milk mixture over the bread. Let it sit for 5 minutes, letting the bread saturate slightly.
Carefully stir in the cubed pumpkin.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the pudding is puffy and a toothpick comes out of the center cleanly.
Cool pudding slightly (it will fall in the center, that's okay!) and then drizzle with warm caramel sauce.

Warm Caramel Sauce:
In a saucepan, melt 10 caramel squares with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
Stir in 1/4 tsp crushed anise seed and 1/4 tsp rum flavoring.
Cool slightly before pouring over pudding.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I decided the next couple week's recipes will be dedicated to some delicious and unique desserts you can make for you family get togethers. And since pumpkins and apples are fall traditions, they will be the basis of these recipes. Today is a wonderfully rich knock off of Cheesecake Factory's Pumpkin Cheesecake. It is decadent and creamy...everything you could want from a cheesecake.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbl melted unsalted butter
1 cup + 1 Tbl granulated sugar
3 8oz packages softened cream cheese
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350*
Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1 Tbl sugar in a bowl. Cut together using a fork to coat the crumbs but keep it crumbly.
Press crumbs into bottom and 2/3 up the sides of a 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 minutes and then set aside.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, and spices and beat until creamy.
Pour into the pan and bake 60-70 minutes until the top becomes a little golden
Cool to room temperature
Place in fridge and chill (preferably overnight)
Top with whipped cream and serve!