Susan, That is odd about the pumpkin, because they tend to like similar conditions to the butternut squash, so it seems odd the latter is happy and the former is a dud this year! Go figure. (SOmetimes lots of green but no flowers/fruit is a sign of too much nitrogen --- I don't know if there was anything that fertilized the pumpkins but not the squash that might've been nitrogen-heavy? Just one possibility.) But the harvest sounds great nonetheless. And good for you for planting those fall veggies. I rarely can get my head back into a planting space by mid-summer so I often don't get much more than a quick crop of lettuce in. I am just in harvest mode!!! But I saw Ken planted a fall pea crop the other day and with you getting all those goodies in maybe I"ll be inspired to do a bit of fall planting.... Hope your recovery is swift! Zabby

Made the Southern Living Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake and it was wonderful - and it looked just like the picture! I thought the bananas were a bit too soft; mine were just getting a few brown spots. I think it would work better if the bananas had just turned yellow. Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake One quick flip and this cake tumbles from the skillet perfectly golden and party ready. Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake Photo by: Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell YIELD: Makes 8 servings HANDS-ON:20 Minutes TOTAL:1 Hour, 18 Minutes COURSE: Desserts, Cakes/Frostings Ingredients 1/2 cup chopped pecans (We used walnuts) 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons rum 2 ripe bananas 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 3/4 cup milk 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose baking mix 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 350�. Bake pecans in a single layer 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring once. 2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch round cake pan (with sides that are at least 2 inches high) over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar and rum. 3. Cut bananas diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices; arrange in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle pecans over bananas. 4. Beat granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add milk and next 2 ingredients; beat just until blended. Beat in baking mix and cinnamon until blended. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.) Pour batter over mixture in skillet. Place skillet on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. 5. Bake at 350� for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate, spooning any topping in skillet over cake. Southern Living NOVEMBER 2011

oh lets get decadent! Bananas Foster Tart . 1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust 2/3 Cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 Medium Bananas, sliced 1/4 Cup whipping cream 4 1/2 tsp. light rum ** 1/4 Cup Butter or margarine 2 tsp. grated orange peel 1/2 tsp. Vanilla 2/3 Cup chopped Pecans Vanilla Ice Cream, if desired Heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one-crust baked shell using a 9" pie pan. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine bananas and rum, toss to coat. Sprinkle orange peel evenly in bottom of baked crust. Arrange bananas in single layer over peel and sprinkle with pecans. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, whipping cream and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Cook an additional 2 to 4 minutes or until the mixture is thickened and a deep golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat, stir in vanilla. Spoon warm filling over bananas and pecans. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool with ice cream.. Store in refrigerator. **To substitute for rum, combine 1/2 tsp. rum extract with 4 tsp. water

Glenda, it's great with ginger snaps, too! Yum!! This is from this month's Southern Living: Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake 1/2 c. chopped pecans 1/2 c. butter, softened and divided 1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar 2 Tbsps. rum 2 ripe bananas 3/4 c. granulated sugar 2 large eggs 3/4 c. milk 1/2 c. sour cream 1 tsp. vanilla 2 c. all-purpose baking mix (Bisquik) 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon. Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a single layer 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring once. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a lightly greased 10" cast-iron skillet or 9" round cake pan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar and rum. Cut bananas diagonally into 1/4" slices; arrange in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle pecans over bananas. Beat granulated sugar with remaining 1/4 c. butter at medium speed with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Add milk and next 2 ingredients; beat just until blended. Beat in baking mix and cinnamon until blended. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.) Pour batter over mixture in skillet. Place skillet on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate, spooning any topping in the skillet over cake. Serves 8.