Pumpkin Tart with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

No need to give a moment of thought to what you will serve for Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas dessert. You need to make this.I’ll get to more of that in a minute. First I want to talk about Yonanas. Are you familiar with this kitchen appliance? Google it. It’s an electric counter top gadget that grinds frozen fruit into a frozen dessert with the consistency of soft serve ice cream. I know-sounds weird.

I went to a training seminar last weekend for work and won a Yonanas machine in the raffle that was held. It was a coveted raffle prize, too! (Sorry, V!) Of course, it’s always fun to win stuff but I’m not one to go for a lot of kitchen gadgets. I don’t like to make room for a lot of nonsense that I am never going to use. I hate to keep a bunch of junk on the kitchen counter. I already have too many appliances sitting out, although they are important ones like the coffee maker.

Plus, a lot of these specialty kitchen gadgets just don’t do what they claim to do. So color me shocked that this thing actually works! It actually turns frozen fruit into a creamy soft serve type dessert. Without anything else added. No dairy or sugar or flavorings. The premise is to use frozen banana as the base for the sweetness and creaminess and add other fruits from there. I like banana but I think it’s sort of a strong flavor and Tim happens to be allergic to them so I am going to experiment with other frozen fruit and see what I come up with.  So far mango has worked all by itself which was great for Tim. I also made a mango/banana combo successfully and used banana with a spoonful of peanut butter which was good too.

Needless to say I’m on a Yonanas kick now. Currently I’m freezing some fresh pineapple and some sliced avocado. Can’t wait to see what I can do with the avocado! I also picked up some frozen peaches and I want to try frozen cherries. Anyone have one of these machines? What do you make with it? I’m just still a little amazed that it works!

Ok, back to the dessert you’re making for the holidays. Sometimes you just have to trust me and do as I say.

A pumpkin tart is a nice change from the usual boring pumpkin pie. Yup, pumpkin pie is a real snooze fest for me. I like other pumpkin things (scones, soup, bread, etc) but in pie form? Dull. And the texture is just so. . . .custardy. Eww.

However, this tart has a much better filling to crust ratio and since the crust is actually oatmeal cookie it has a nice chewy texture, too. (Some people like chocolate with their pumpkin and I can see where chocolate chips added to the oatmeal cookie dough might be a nice addition, also.)I made a very basic oatmeal cookie dough and pressed it into and slightly up the sides of a 10″ spring form pan. Pre-baking the crust for a few minutes makes the cookie dough set up a bit and forms a little ridge around the sides to hold the filling in. Be careful when you pour the filling in to the crust and it will stay within the perimeter of the crust.Let it cool (I cooled mine overnight), pop it out of the springform pan and serve it up. I’m telling you it’s good. You should make it. And now I can’t stop thinking of adding chocolate chips to the crust.Let me leave you with a little glimpse of the elusive Autumn beagle. She’s not allowed in my perennial flower bed in the summer but as it starts to die at the end of the season, we take down the decorative/beagle proof fence and she gets to trample it all she wants until we chop all the plants down. She has made herself right at home and this is where I found her one sunny day last week. Too cute.

Oatmeal Cookie Crust

1/2 c butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 1/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugars together until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of a 10″ springform pan with non stick spray. Press the cookie dough into the bottom and about an inch up the sides of the springform pan. Place to pan in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

The dough will rise some and the sides will slide down a little. That’s fine and to be expected. It will form a nice little ridge around the edge to prevent the tart filling from oozing over the sides of the cookie.

While the cookie bakes for 8 minutes, make the pumpking tart filling.

Pumpkin Tart Filling

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT canned pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup milk (I used almond)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything together until well combined. Carefully pour filling into the cookie crust, taking care not to let it ooze over the side of the cookie. Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve with whipped cream. (Or ice cream!)