Vintage Eats Recipe: Pumpkin Fluff

Pumpkin Fluff is a super-easy dessert that takes just minutes to assemble.

This post releases on Halloween, which in the United States is a holiday largely focused around food – mainly candy.

Children (and some adults) dress up is costumes to visit neighbors, churches, businesses to receive candy and other treats. My husband happily answers our door each year to distribute bite-sized candy to eager goblins. Of course, he always chooses candy he likes – just in case there are leftovers.

Here is a photo of him bobbing for apples at a friend’s Halloween party in 1980.

Halloween, which is celebrated on various nights leading up to October 31, is fun and you can find hundreds of hilarious costumes of people – and often their pets — online celebrating this event.

Our family is long past the Trick-or-Treating phase, but I’m still thinking of the holiday which centers around a fall food, namely pumpkins!

You can find many recipes for pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin drinks, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin cake, pumpkin cookies, indeed almost pumpkin almost-anything.

My recipe today is not one you’ll find in many cookbooks. At least I’ve not seen it in the several dozen I looked through this weekend.

Pumpkin Fluff was a pudding dessert Mom served while I was growing up in the 1970s. It was one of my favorite desserts, mainly because it was not too sickly sweet.

After I got married and developed my own list of favorite desserts, this was near the top because it is quick and easy to make and the simple ingredients made it economical (about $2.00!).

Try Pumpkin Fluff and see if you appreciate it’s ease and smooth, pumpkiny taste.

Are you planning to dress up for Halloween?

What is your favorite fall dessert?

Pumpkin Fluff

1 package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding

1 c. pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

2/3 c. milk

2 c. Cool-Whip or other prepared whipped topping

Mix together all ingredients before adding whipped topping. Chill 4-6 hours. Mixture will be thick. If you want to use it as a pie, pour into a graham cracker crust before chilling. It may also be used as a dip for graham crackers.

Serves 4-6

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Vintage Find of the Week

Aladdin Thermos (1 qt.)

I frequent several thrift shops. When one advertised last week at their Facebook page that all sporting goods were on sale for fifty cents, I scanned the photos for anything of interest. One showed a photo of this one-quart Aladdin thermos.

I hurried in to the store to find it on a high shelf and had to ask for help in getting it down. It was marked $10.00.

After confirming the thermos was indeed included in the sale (I thought it may have been pictured by mistake), I snatched it up.

Dad used a thermos like this while I was growing up for coffee while driving to work. They were quite popular, but could break on the inside when dropped. I’m thrilled to have found this one which is heavy and intact. I have already told my husband he can use it in his work area in the garage to keep his hot drinks at temp.

A seller on Etsy offered one of a similar size and condition for $19.50. I’m not looking to sell, but it’s nice to know I got a bargain.

What vintage item has delighted you this week?

Happy hunting!

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