As fall wanes, Pumpkin-Apple Butter recipe brings pumpkin season to a delightful close

The major thrust for pumpkin-recipe days are drawing to a close. Wednesday kicks off Christmas month, which means we'll be trading most things orange for reds and greens and the traditional foods of Christmas (plus menu items that can be prepared in a hurry during this frantic time.)

So to give my put-aside pumpkin puree one last hurrah before we switch gears, I had a great longing to make Pumpkin-Apple Butter. This recipe attracted me because I saw it could be stirred up in a hurry without the long and complicated cooking time that's often required of jellies, jams, and preserves. I was eager to try the pumpkin and apple combination. The Pumpkin-Apple Butter recipe from a long-ago Woman's Day magazine suggested this as a terrific gift idea since it could be poured into an attractive canister with a colorful ribbon and a note that says, "This is good on toast, waffles, English muffins, pancakes, and crackers, or use as you would apple butter." The recipe suggests that it can be refrigerated up to two weeks.

I was tickled that from start to finish this entire prep process required about 40 minutes, so it was way beyond easy—so easy that Hubby and I had it on our breakfast toast the very morning I stirred it up. And of course Hubby immediately claimed part of the leftover butter as an addition to one of his famous smoothies.

While dining on this exceptionally yummy topping I was immensely glad I had kept my Pumpkin-Apple Butter recipe all these years and glad I squeezed in this pumpkin delight while November rolled out its last days of a terrific, memorable fall.

Pumpkin-Apple Butter

3 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin puree (or 2 15-ounce cans of canned pumpkin)

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Stir all ingredients in a heavy, medium saucepan until all ingredients are blended. Bring to a boil; stir often. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered. Stir often to prevent scorching and simmer for 30 minutes, or until mixture is very thick. Cool, spoon into containers, cover, and refrigerate. Makes 5 cups.