Desserts:

Creamy Pumpkin Strudel

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Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut into 12 slices
Whipped cream, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make filling, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside. Place 2 sheets of phyllo on top of one another, brush top sheet with some of the butter. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.) In a small bowl combine sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle a generous 2 tablespoons of cinnamon-sugar mixture over the buttered phyllo. Cut the 2 layered sheets of phyllo lengthwise to create two long strips. Place a slice of cream cheese about 2 inches from the end of the dough strip. Spoon a well-rounded tablespoon of pumpkin mixture on top of the cream cheese. To shape, fold bottom edge of phyllo up and over the filling. Fold in sides and roll up to encase filling. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with some of the melted butter. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Sprinkle any remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture. Bake for 15 minutes until phyllo is golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream. Makes 12 servings.

Mary Kastor
Rock Island