These creamy pumpkin squares have 2 personalities–frozen it’s like ice cream cake; chilled it’s like a creamy and smooth pie. Makes a great Thanksgiving dessert.

Why not surprise guests this Thanksgiving by serving this in place of or in addition to the traditional pumpkin pie?

Of course, it’s just a wonderful fall (or any time) dessert, but this would be really special served at the holiday table.

You all know I’m not into fussing anymore, and this is about as fuss-free as you can get!

Who could ask for more?  America’s favorite cookie and creamy pumpkin together. FYI I usually buy the store brand of “America’s Favorite” because they’re way cheaper and taste just the same to me.

Nice change from traditional pumpkin pie

The crust works best if you use the regular sandwich cookies and not the ones with the extra white filling.  You could probably use them if that’s what you have, but it could make the crumbs a bit pasty. If you don’t like the idea of the chocolate crust, make a graham or vanilla wafer crust. Same crumb and butter amounts–just switch out the cookie!

I prefer this frozen because it reminds me of those nice hand-made ice cream cakes my mother used to buy for our birthdays at a local ice cream shop–gone for ages now–in Brooklyn (Von Dohlens to all my Avenue D peeps who read my blog), but it’s just as nice served well chilled.  Same deal as with my White Chocolate Heath Bar Crunch.

Just make sure not to reconstitute the evaporated milk if you are using that instead of the light cream or half-and-half.  You need a cream-like consistency so the dessert is more substantial and holds up to freezing–it won’t get ice crystals!

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Pumpkin Oreo Cream Dessert Squares

These creamy pumpkin squares have 2 personalities–frozen it’s like ice cream cake; chilled it’s like a creamy and smooth pie. Makes a great Thanksgiving dessert.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin bars

Servings: 9

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

CRUST

• 2 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs don’t use double-stuff
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted

FILLING

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree solid-pack, not pie filling
• 1 pkg 4 serving size instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk -OR- light cream/half and half
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tub 8 oz extra creamy whipped topping

Instructions

• Mix cookie crumbs with melted butter, making sure all the crumbs are coated.
• Press crumbs into a 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch square pan.
• Whisk together all the filling ingredients except the whipped topping, being careful that it’s all blended well.
• Fold in half the container of whipped topping. Spread on top of cookie crumb layer.
• Top with the remaining whipped topping.
• This may be frozen or served well chilled. If it gets hard-frozen, like ice cream sometimes does, let the dessert stand on the counter for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 2308IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg

Pumpkin Oreo Cream Dessert Squares

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Here’s another side dish that can double as a meal.  This onion casserole is loaded with flavor, crunch and gobs of Swiss cheese!

I ended up with a little too many onions when a store had them on sale.  Since they don’t seem to keep like they used to, I wanted to use them–at least quite a few of them.

So late one night I was net surfing and ran across an absolutely great-looking casserole from Forkable, who said this was a Thanksgiving tradition in their home.

Creamy, sweet and cheesy

This really looked SUPER plus I’d get to use some Italian bread I also bought that got pushed aside and almost forgotten.

I only made slight changes in their recipe.  I tend to use undiluted or slightly diluted evaporated milk instead of plain milk in things I want to be extra creamy and since my bread was not fresh, I brushed the tops with some melted butter not only for added flavor, but for better browning.

Like grilled cheese with onion soup…YUM

Truthfully, I had to stop before I ate the whole casserole–that’s how good this is!!! It’s sort of a cross between a creamy and sweet onion soup and grilled cheese.

Adding some Italian seasoning to the onions and brushing the bread with garlic butter and using a nice sharp Provolone would make this like a garlic cheese bread casserole.  I’m trying that one next.

Creamy Onion Cheese Casserole

This one’s a keeper.

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Creamy Onion Cheese Casserole

Here’s another side dish that can double as a meal.  This onion casserole is loaded with flavor, crunch and gobs of Swiss cheese!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese casserole, creamy onion cheese casserole, onion, side dishes

Servings: 6

Calories: 436kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 4 medium onions sliced
• 3 tbs butter
• 1 10.75 oz cream of chicken soup
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk or light cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 6-8 slices about 1-inch thick French or Italian Bread
• 8 oz shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 tbs butter melted
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• *Cream of mushroom may be substituted to make the dish vegetarian.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large sauce pan or saute pan, melt the 3 tbs butter over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute until onions are limp and turn translucent (they will look pearly).
• Place onions in an ungreased 1.5-2 quart shallow baking pan.
• In the same pot used to saute the onions, add the soup, soy sauce, water and evaporated milk, adding the milk slowly, while stirring to avoid lumps. Heat through. Add any additional salt & pepper to taste at this point.
• Pour soup mixture over onions in baking dish. Add 1/3 of the shredded cheese; stir and spread onion mixture evenly over bottom of the pan.
• Top with the sliced bread. Brush tops of bread with the 1 tbs of melted butter.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-25 minutes or until bread is a nicely toasted golden brown.
• Slightly press toasted bread slices down in the sauce, but do not let them get covered in the sauce! Top casserole with remaining cheese and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and is beginning to bubble.
• Makes 6-8 side-dish servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 399mg | Iron: 1mg

Perfect side or make it a meal

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