An Autumn Bonfire

 

Friday night was our annual Autumn Bonfire with family and friends.  Thirteen of us gathered on a made-to-order evening - clear, calm and just a little bit nippy.  We enjoyed good food, conversation around the fire, star-gazing, and a few games thrown in for good measure.  I love this fall tradition -

 

Our Bonfire Menu:

* Roasted Hot Dogs (over the fire)

* Potato Cheese Soup (in a slow-cooker)

* Fresh Homemade Applesauce

* Salsa & Tortilla Chips

* Apple Slices & Caramel Dip

* Trail Mix (with peanuts, raisins and M&Ms)

* S'mores (over the fire - with a choice of milk chocolate or dark chocolate)

* Great Pumpkin Dessert (see recipe below)

* Gallons of Water, Sugar-Free Iced Tea & Apple Cider

* Warm Apple Cider (served in mugs from a slow-cooker)

Great Pumpkin Dessert
1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin
1 - 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
3 eggs
1/2 C. sugar
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 - 18.25 oz. package of yellow cake mix
3/4 C. butter, melted
1 1/2 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 13x9" pan.  In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spice.  Mix well, and pour into pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top, then drizzle with melted butter.  Top with walnuts.  Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  (We had this warm from the oven - so good!)