Friday, November 11, 2011

Wonderful wonderful pumpkin

Fall is my most favorite time of year! I love the cooler weather, the changing leaves and ALL things pumpkin. Speaking of pumpkins, here are two of mine from a few years ago. I think this is one of my all.time.FAVORITE. pictures of my middle son. The face is just priceless...oh that grin.

I picked up a new cookbook about a month ago with some holiday recipes in it and have been trying out all sorts of new goodies. I made these fab pumpkin bars for a girls night in and they were a huge hit!!

So do yourself a favor and make these ASAP!!!

Pumpkin Bars
* Adapted from Southern Living Holiday 2011*

Ingredients:

- 1 (18.25 oz) box spice cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I left these out)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white chocolate (I used Lindt white chocolate bar with coconut)
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1/3 cup uncooked regular oats
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 4 ingredients, mixing well with a fork. Reserve 1 cup crumbs for streusel topping. Press remaining crumbs into 13" x 9" pan.
2. Bake until puffy and set, about 13-15 min. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 min.
3. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or until creamy. Add brown sugar, pumpkin, egg and 1 tsp vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour filling over baked crust.
4. Stir white chocolate, 1 TBSP melted butter, oats and brown sugar into reserved 1 cup streusel. Sprinkle over filling.
5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until edges begin to brown and center is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (if you want to). Cut into bars. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

So go embrace this wonderful season and go and make these...you wont regret it!!! YUMMMY!

I'm going to try and post some more good eats here now that life is somewhat into a routine. Yes, we moved back in June, and school has been in for a few months now, but I'm just starting to feel caught up. Everything in good time. Until then...

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