Pumpkin Squares

I love to bake. A few years ago, I found a recipe for pumpkin squares and I made them probably twice a week for all of my college roommates. Everyone loved them. But then I moved a few times and, of course, a few things got misplaced, including my recipe for pumpkin squares. Last week during one of Madelyn's naps I was searching online for another pumpkin square recipe. Luckily I was able to find one that was pretty much the same one that I used to use. I made them yesterday and my whole house filled with a yummy scent. When my husband Ken came home from work he made a beeline for the kitchen. Needless to say, he gobbled one up. Did I get a kiss hello first? No way! But that's okay. Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Squares

***Crust:***

1 (2 layer) yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)

1 egg lightly beaten

***Filling:***

1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin

3 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

***Topping:***

1 cup reserved cake mix

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter (at room temperature)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional...I didn't use it as I don't like anything nutty...I'm nutty enough!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Remove 1 cup of the cake mix and reserve for the topping. In mixer bowl beat together the remaining cake mix, butter and egg until it is evenly mixed. Press into the bottom of a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Combine pumpkin, eggs, both sugars, milk, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon; pour over crust.

To make topping, combine reserved 1 cup cake mix, sugar, nuts and butter by crumbling them together with a fork. Sprinkle over pumpkin filling.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven for 1 hour or until set and lightly browned.