Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

This recipe is a mixture of two I've found.  I made one today from Taste of Home and thought it needed a little something more...so I'm combining the recipes from there and Food Network to bring you this version.  I think it's a winner...and Happy Birthday, Marie!  Hope you liked your cake!

Ingredients:
2 (14.5 ounce) pkgs. Gingerbread cake mix (prepared and baked according to package directions) - or you may use the recipe below for Gingerbread Snack Cake.
2 (3.4 oz.) pkgs. Cook & Serve Vanilla Pudding
1 (15 oz.) can Pumpkin Pie Mix
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 (8 ounce) carton's whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Gingersnap cookies or 2 Skor candy bars, crushed (garnish)

Directions:
Prepare & bake gingerbread.  Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Combine pudding mixes with milk and bring to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened.  Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.  Add pumpkin pie mix and brown sugar to pudding & stir until smooth.

Crumble gingerbread cake into small pieces. Place one layer of the crumbled gingerbread into your serving / trifle dish and press down lightly to compact the layer. Pour 1/2 of the can of sweetened condensed milk over the gingerbread.  Add a layer of the pumpkin pudding (make sure it has cooled completely first - if not you'll end up with air pockets and it won't look pretty).  Add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat the layers again.  (You may need to hold off on the final layer of whipped topping until after chilling if your dish is full - it will settle in the refrigerator).  At this point, refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Before serving, add a final layer of whipped topping in decorative swirls.  Garnish with crushed gingersnap cookies or skor candy bars.  Yield: 25 (1 cup) servings

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from cooks.com.  I love it - and just had three while they were hot.  Mmm.

Ingredients:
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. milk
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
1 T baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Dissolve baking soda in milk in a large mixer.  Add pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs & vanilla.  Mix together til smooth.  Add flour, baking powder, salt & spices.  Mix for about one minute.  Add chocolate chips & mix again.  Scoop onto cookie sheets & bake @ 375 for 12 minutes.  Makes about 5 dozen.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are my favorite muffins!  Not really on the healthy side, but delicious!  I couldn't help myself today and made a double batch.  Mmm.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup butter

Combine dry ingredients.  Cut butter into small cubes and blend into dry ingredients with fork or pastry blender until the size of small peas. 

Stir together the following wet ingredients and add all at once:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 egg

Mix together just until moistened (over mixing will make your muffins tough and they will have peaks & tunnels). 

Gently stir in:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can use milk chocolate, but they will be a bit too sweet)  To avoid over-mixing, I stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients maybe three or four turns, then add the chocolate chips and continue combining together.Fill greased muffin cups 2/3rds full and bake @ 400 degrees for 16-19 minutes.  Makes 12.