Pumpkin Bake with Spiced Walnuts

So glad it is officially Fall. This is my absolute favorite time of year--especially good after the hot Oklahoma summer. Although I hear there may be a shortage of pumpkin this year, I just made my first cinnamon spiced pumpkin confection of the season. This bake is not an original recipe, I borrowed it from Linda, here. It is not too spicy, not too eggy (despite the five eggs). Alone, this can be used for breakfast, as it will later in the week for us. But tonight, it is dessert, topped with whipped cream and spiced walnuts. The nuts really stand out in this dish. Try some.

The recipe I used tonight, worked pretty well, but could be a little sweeter in my opinion. Still, the roasted nut flavor is delicious. Maybe I am so accustomed to sucralose that Truvia doesn't taste sweet enough to me.

Spiced Walnuts

1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 egg white
5 packets Truvia
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Whip egg white until frothy. Add 4 packets of Truvia and cinnamon and mix well. Coat nuts with this mixture and spread onto a non stick baking sheet or parchment paper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Remove nuts from oven and sprinkle the remaining sweetener packet over the nuts.

I baked these nuts on a lower rack in the oven because the pumpkin bake and a meatloaf were already baking away on the upper rack. Mine did get a little too brown. Watch out, it happens quickly! These are good as snacks, in granola, or as garnish for desserts.

Now about that pumpkin shortage--my plant is just now blooming. I somehow doubt that mine will be producing before the first frost! I am betting there will still be some bargain pumpkins around come early November. That is when I buy the Halloween leftovers and process them for the freezer. They are not as sweet as the smaller pumpkins meant just for pie, but they are still good in Punkin Chili and soups.