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@cybercita ~ thanks for clearing that up and sharing your recipe. I agree with you about a zester - don't know how I lived without one all those years.

@cybercita-----thanks for the recipe, I'm going to make this soon. This sounds like a winner, I love spicy cakes so I'm with you on increasing the amounts. Will let you know somewhere along the line how it turns out.

Way! Love pumpkin in pretty much any form. And not that I dislike pumpkin pie, but there are other way yummier pumpkin desserts to be had - pumpkin roll with the cream cheese filling, pumpkin cheesecake, etc.

Can't believe this question

here is the cake recipe as i got it originally. i up the spices considerably, using about a tablespoon each of the cinnamon and nutmeg, and two teaspoons of cloves. i also use a teaspoon of cardamom and include a thumbs worth of fresh ginger as well. it can be frosted with an orange glaze -- orange zest, juice, butter, and confectioner's sugar -- frosted with cream cheese frosting, or left plain.

it's a dump cake -- just dump all of the ingredients into a big bowl and beat.

pumpkin spice cake
3 c flour
2c sugar
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1 t freshly ground nutmeg
1 t ground cloves
2 c vegetable oil
1 15 oz can pumpkin
4 eggs
combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. pour into greased and floured 12 cup bundt pan. bake at 325 for 1 hour or until done {there should not be any wet spots under the top cracks and a tester should come out clean}.
cool 20 min and turn out on rack.

Stuffed mushrooms are easy, but they tend to be better warm than at room temp, in my opinion. Here are two versions I make that are super easy, but I would heat them up before serving... They do include some cheese on top that you can certainly omit.

But I was also thinking the hummus route... you can do it straight or add some roasted/grilled eggplant too to make it really special.

Or you can do antipasto with tuna... I make it with soy tuna to make it vegetarian, but the recipe works with the real thing, as that's how I actually learned how to make it. Serve it over crackers or toasted bagguettes...

Cranberry jalapeno salsa...(its on the Girls Night In thread) I have made it three times and people freak out about how tasty it is. If you can't find it I will help you.

@Monelle ~ Supermarket pumpkin pie? No comparison. It's like comparing apples and gym socks!

@bareneed ~ I've missed SE and YOU as well. Been a rough year, and I'm glad to be back.

@cybercita ~ Please post your bundt cake recipe?

I'd say the majority do like pumpkin, sweet and savory. I have made sweet potato pie and nobody knew the difference, so I'd substitute that in a New York minute if I couldn't find canned pumpkin. Anyone care to share more savory recipes, like cream of pumpkin soup?

Waaaaaaaaaaaay! How do I love thee, pumpkin... let me count the ways...
Surprisingly, I didn't even taste anything pumpkin till I was a teenager. Everyone in my family didn't like it and had me brainwashed until I felt obliged to take a little bite of a pie that was pressed upon me by a good friend's mother. It was love ever since, in a multitude of permutations. And it couldn't be Thanksgiving without it. My family eats the pecan pie and brownies while everyone else gobbles up the pumpkin stuff.

My mom always freezes brownies and cookies. She just slices them and puts them in a freezer bag -- no additional wrapping necessary. I, too, prefer frozen brownies. They're extra chewy! But my dad microwaves them.

Phyllo wrapped asparagus. Only needs 3 ingredients: the asparagus, a package of phyllo, and melted butter (can add a little parmesan, salt and pepper if you like). It's light, it's not cheese, it's not crudite. It's best made the day you serve it.

I've just written it up for you, with pictures. Below that recipe is the appetizer I'll be making tomorrow, a cream cheese/parmesan pine cone with pecans, but that may not qualify as light, and you said you weren't to bring cheese. It's a crowd pleaser though, and looks like you put more time into it than you did..
http://verfoodie.blogspot.com/

For a sit down starter, fattoush would be easy, light, piquant, and cool, esp. if all the other dishes are warm/chewy, but only if you can get ahold of sumac.

Dolmades for finger food. Not as easy as fattoush, but not that difficult if you pre-cook the rice to mostly done then roll. Up to you what you want to put in it, whether you want it w/o meat, w/ meat, etc.

Freezing them makes them a bit more moist. I make Ina's outrageous brownies and freeze them often. I do not cut them before I freeze. I usually freeze so I can make them in advance. My advise is wrap well and you should be fine.