Pumpkin Bars

I am home for the next two weeks, and possibly a third, and I am so excited.  I plan on spending my home time baking and cooking and crafting and baking some more.  I miss cooking and specifically baking when I travel.  I do not miss the cleaning it up part however!! 

I decided that I wanted to make pumpkin bars.  They are almost pumpkin pie, only without the crust.  A crust maker, I am not, so no pumpkin pie.  Plus, you can't have cream cheese frosting with pumpkin pie.  And this isn't just any cream cheese frosting, but homemake cream cheese frosting.  I wasn't sure my family would eat them, as they are usually a strict chocolate sort of family, but I decided to try anyway.  Plus, they are my favorites, so more for me!! LOL

But they obviously liked them, as this is the note that I woke up this morning to find.  At least they said please.  So, after getting in my two conference calls (at home does not equal on vacation in my world) many emails, a couple of spreadsheets and a trip to the grocery store, I jumped into the making of more.

They are hot out of the oven and cooling so I can make the cream cheese frosting and have them ready when the kids get home from school.  These are so easy to make, and even sort of sneak in some vegetables (I think they cancel out the crazy amount of sugar!). 

This recipe comes straight out of Better Homes and Gardens "New" Cookbook.  New, as of 1988!  Here it is:

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 16oz can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil

Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda.  Combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar and oil; beat till combined.  Add dry ingredients; beat till combined.  Spread batter in a 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.  Cool.  Frost with cream cheese frosting and cut into bars. 

Cream cheese frosting

3 oz cream cheese soft (I cut an 8oz cream cheese in half, close enough!)
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  Spread over cooled pumpkin bars and devour. 

The recipe says to cover and store in refrigerator!  They are a funny bunch at BH&G... leftovers, as if that will happen!!

Enjoy!  :)