Why not surprise your family, friends, co-workers, etc and break out of your mold this year.  Try a new recipe or two–in fact, try an old recipe or two.  And here are a couple of great ones to choose from.  Both these recipes are from my vintage collection I inherited from my mother’s kitchen files.  Apple Pumpkin Custard Desserts is a quick and easy recipe with impressive results (isn’t everything that’s made with Eagle Brand Milk delicious?).  Southern Pecan Bars are excellent bar cookies that are perfect for just about anything from filling the family cookie jar to gift giving and co-worker treats.

APPLE PUMPKIN CUSTARD DESSERTS

I like to identify the sources of these old recipes when I can. However, that is not always possible. I believe, but cannot be sure, that this recipe is from an old advertisement for Borden’s Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.

1 can (21-oz) Apple Pie Filling
1 can (16-oz) pumpkin (about 2 cups, if you cook your own)
1 can (14-oz) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 18 cookies)
2 tbsp butter, melted

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon apple pie filling evenly into 8 to 10 custard cups. In a large mixer bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Spoon mixture into custard cups over the top of the apple pie filling. Combine the cookie crumbs and the butter. Sprinkle over the pumpkin mixture in custard cups. Place cups on a jelly roll pan and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 15 minutes or until set. Cool. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator.

SOUTHERN PECAN BARS

This recipe won the Best of Class at the Pillsbury’s 5th Grand National Recipe and Baking Contest. I believe this contest was the forerunner of the current Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, then for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Sift together…….1 1/3 cups sifted Pillsbury’s Best Enriched Flour
                           1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
Cream……………1/3 cup butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar,
                           creaming well.
Add…………………the dry ingredients; mix with electric mixer or spoon until
                            particles are fine.
Stir in………………1/4 cup pecans, chopped fine; mix well. Pat firmly into the
                            bottom of well-greased 12x8x2 or 13x9x2-inch pan.
Bake……………….in moderate 350 degree oven for 10 minutes only.

Pecan Topping

Beat…………….2 eggs until foamy.
Add……………..3/4 cup dark corn syrup
                       1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
                       3 tbsp flour
                       1/2 tsp salt
                       1 tsp vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour over the partially baked
                       crust.
Sprinkle with…3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped. (If desired, fold the chopped
                       pecans into filling before pouring over crust and arrange 30
                       pecan halves evenly over the top; one for each bar.)
Bake……………in moderate oven (350) 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan; cut
                       into bars. Store in a tightly covered container.

Enjoy!