Baked Pumpkin Pie Dip

I made this up for a party and, in checking before I posted, just found out that there are other concepts of how to make a sweet pumpkin dip (mostly with cream cheese). Those might be good too, but I think pumpkin really benefits from extra baking to give it some depth of flavor. This recipe also has less fat, incidentally. Serve with sugar cookies, animal crackers, gingersnaps, apples, pears, cinnamon graham crackers, etc...When choosing your accompaniment, you may want to keep in mind that the dip is pretty sweet on its own. (If anyone tries it with pretzels or something salty let me know how it is!)

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 15  ounces canned pumpkin
• 5  ounces 2% evaporated milk or 5  ounces  cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 3  tablespoons brown sugar, agave syrup or 3  tablespoons molasses
• 2  teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  cups miniature marshmallows, divided
•  pecans (optional)
•  raisins (optional) or  dried cranberries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven (or don't, it won't matter) to about 350°F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl (or directly in your pretty baking dish if you're in a hurry---in order to prevent scorching try to keep it from going up the sides), stir ingredients together in order listed, reserving about half of the marshmallows. Pour into a baking dish (you will probably want to serve it in this dish, too.).
3. Bake until bubbly all the way through, and stir. Taste it at this point and make sure it's sweet enough/spiced enough/salted enough for you. Now's a good time to adjust it.
4. Add the rest of the marshmallows, stirring some in and allowing some to stay on top to brown.
5. Continue baking until you like the looks of it. (I like the marshmallows pretty brown, but maybe you'll like them better lightly golden?).
6. Serve with something crunchy and delicious!