by Luke McKinney
FoodConnect Toronto
luke.mckinney@foodconnect.com

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dessert without cutting, crumbs or worries about baking. A pumpkin smoothie is a great drink for the kids and, with only a couple of minor modifications, the grown-ups too.

Pumpkin Smoothie
Ice
Cooked Pie Pumpkin
Milk
Thanksgiving spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cloves to taste)

To begin with, you'll want roughly as much milk as pumpkin and about the same volume of ice - after your first test you'll have an idea of how to alter the proportions to suit yourself. Those of you able to make smoothies already know how easy it is, but may be surprised just how suited to smootherization the classic thanksgiving elements are. Bundle everything into the blender and whip up a refreshing drink, altering the proportions to suit your own taste. Hold back a little cinnamon for sprinkling on top ofter pouring.

To give the drinkable dessert a little more kick you can add vodka before blending, but be sure not to use too much or too harsh a vodka - even cinnamon can't cover the harshness of some of the lower grade paint thinners. A smoother option is to replace some or all of the milk with Bailey's (the original, or perhaps the caramel variety - but certainly not the mint).