Pumpkin Pudding

I love Rachel Ray... Her show is hilarious, her recipes are usually pretty simple, but still delicious and I love trying them! To go along with the pumpkin mania that I have been having lately, I found this recipe for pumpkin pudding... I thought that it would be a great snack for the kids and it was, but not only that - I think that it would make a great, quick dessert!! We gathered up the pudding and headed over to my Grandma and Grandpa's for "coffee" and my Grandpa was licking his plate at the end. (For those of you that know my Grandpa, you know that this is a common practice with him!) Still, it has definitely received rave reviews from anyone that has tried it! I think that it would look great in a trifle dish...


Pumpkin Pudding
(recipe found at www.rachelray.com)

1 (14 ounces) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (15 ounces) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (5.1 ounces) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups heavy cream
1 (12 ounces) box ginger snaps

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin, spices, pudding mix and a 1/4 cup of water. Using an electric mixer, beat everything together until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until blended and no steaks of pudding remain. To assemble, layer the cookies and pudding mixture in a serving dish, in whatever fashion you like. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 8 hours (you want the ginger snaps to soften up from sitting in the pudding mixture).