Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle!

I'm really not one to brag about my cooking. Yes, I can cook. Yes, 99% of the time, I produce something that does not make me (or anyone else) gag (ok, salmon rice balls excluded). And yes, I do pride myself on being a better baker than cook. In any case, tomorrow night I am having dinner with my girlfriends from the U -- you've heard me talk about them before, we do it about once a month, each bring a dish, blah blah blah.

Well -- I finally get to bring dessert. Last time we met I was also assigned dessert, but had to deal with a vegan theme, ergo my dessert wasn't as glorious as I knew it could be.

Until tonight. Though we haven't yet had dinner and I haven't yet presented the ladies with the glory, I am pretty proud of what I crafted tonight. And yes, I can vouch for taste, as I pulled a Paula Dean and was about to sneak a taste before decorating the top.

So I present to you, my Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle:Here's how to make one yourself...

1 package gingerbread mix
1 box vanilla pudding
1 (30 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (12 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
Cinnamon sugar for dusting

Bake gingerbread according to package directions; cool completely. Prepare pudding according to package. Stir pumpkin pie filling, brown sugar, and cinnamon into pudding. Cut the cooled gingerbread into small squares. Scatter 1/2 gingerbread on bottom of trifle bowl. Pour 1/2 pumpkin mixture over gingerbread, then cover with 1/2 whipped topping. Repeat each layer. Dust top with cinnamon sugar. Refrigerate overnight.