Some Gold Medal Photos From The Olympics...

ED NOTE: This is a new item for the Metro that any or our readers can participate in. Have you come across a celebrity in your travels? If so, email me the info for inclusion in the next edition of the McCarty Metro. If possible, include a photograph if you took one, and any memorable thoughts about the encounter.
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Pumpkin Spice Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin purée
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15.25-ounce) package spice cake mix
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large bowl, add the pumpkin purée, the evaporated milk, the eggs, the brown sugar, and the white sugar and stir to combine. Stir the cinnamon, the ginger, the cloves, and the salt into the pumpkin mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the pecans over the cake mix. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the pecan layer. Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 50-60 minutes. Allow the cake to cool, and serve.

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Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 5 cups milk
• 12 ounces white chocolate baking chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

For the whipped cream:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cinnamon sticks, to taste, for garnish
• ground cinnamon, optional, to taste, for garnish

Directions

In a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk, the white chocolate chips, and 1 cup of the heavy cream until hot and creamy. Adjust the heat to a very low simmer and do not let the mixture boil. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, the sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the nutmeg, the ginger, and the cloves and heat to a comfortable drinking temperature. In a bowl, beat the remaining heavy cream until it begins to thicken. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining vanilla to the whipped cream and beat until soft peaks form. Pour the hot chocolate into heatproof mugs. Top each mug with the whipped cream, the cinnamon sticks, and the extra ground cinnamon. Serve.