{Guest post today! Please welcome the amazing and talented, Geri Wurth. Enjoy!}

Hello!

Today for Food Fun we are getting into the Way Back Machine.

Way back to B.C.

Okay, not the Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon recipe era, and although it may seem that old, we’re only talking Betty Crocker. See the sunny yellow 1973 box collection of Betty Crocker recipes?

On colorful cards! My mom painted the exotic green leaves and orange daisies on the box exterior. And I cooked and cooked from this little box w-a-y back.

If you can see in the photo, the recipes are divided by topic. I often used the uber-exciting Convenient Oven Meals but always felt a little feminist guilt over Men’s Favorites. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? Yep, still true.

And from this collection I am going to make a fall favorite: Little Pumpkin Custards

I used to make these custards when the kids were little because their yummy flavor made it easy to get calcium, protein, and Vitamin A into them. Well, not exactly true. I pretty much made these pumpkin custards so I wouldn’t eat half of any pumpkin pie I might make. 🙂

They truly are a healthy version of pumpkin pie in a portion-controlled size. A slam dunk!

P.S. The recipe card suggests the following meal: Macaroni and  Cheese with Smokey Sausages, Spiced Apple Rings, Brussel Sprouts, and, for dessert, the Little Pumpkin Custards. Does that sound like a 70’s meal or what?

Little Pumpkin Custards (adapted from Betty Crocker)

Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:
15 oz. canned pumpkin
13 oz. canned evaporated milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 T. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 T. melted butter or margarine

Directions:
Put milk and eggs into a medium-size bowl. Stir to mix. Add the canned pumpkin and the 2/3 cup sugar. Stir thoroughly. Add the spices and salt and mix well. Melt 2 T. butter or margarine in the microwave and pour into bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Now, divide the mixture into six individual Pyrex dishes or custard cups. You will probably have a little left over. Put the Pyrex dishes inside a rectangular 9″ X 13″ glass baking dish or metal baking dish. Space them equally so that no dishes are touching.

Pour 2 to 3 cups of water into a Pyrex glass measuring cup or glass bowl, and heat the water to boiling. Pout the boiling water into the rectangular baking dish filling the dish so that the custard dishes have water that comes up half-way. The custards will cook gently inside this water bath, making them creamy but solid.

Bake the custards at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a dinner knife inserted in the middle of the custard comes out clean. Remove carefully from oven and let cool. Refrigerate after cooling.

Enjoy this yummy pumpkin custard with whipped cream!