Alright, you baking, fanatics. This one is for you. Believe it or not, I used to play basketball. On a team that was good! And when we would get to playoff season, we got a little superstitious. For my first playoff game ever in high school, my mom made these things we called "Pumpkin Bars". And when we won, we forced my mom to make them for every playoff game until we lost.
If you think of what the brownie is to chocolate cake, that's what the pumpkin bar is to carrot cake. But not really. Just in my mind. Ha! Confused yet? Just try them, you won't regret it.
Cheesy factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 2 (even though there is no cheese in this, I still gave it a 2 since it has "cream cheese" flavored frosting. Ha!)
Time factory (1 shortest, 10 longest): 5
Dummy factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 4
Mom's Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 and 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil (veggie I think)
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 can cream cheese frosting
Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until fluffy. Stir flour and dry ingredients together. Add liquids, mix well. Spread into ungreased baking pan (15 x 10 or 13 x whatever). Bake at 350 deg 25 min (stick tooth pick in, and if comes out clean, it's done). Allow to cool, then evenly spread on cream cheese frosting. Serve warm or cold (after refrigerating).
So I, personally, think these are better served a little underdone (so more like brownie and less like cake), and after refrigerating for a bit (cold). But that's just me. And don't ask me how to make them less fattening or without sugar because I have no idea. You people, and your artificial sweeteners and splenda.....just skip these recipes. Don't make me do research. Because the only thing I will tell you is that sugar substitutes are potentially harmful to your body because your body doesn't recognize them as sugar, and it more resembles a pesticide your body wants to rid itself of. True story.
Random thought of the day: I almost have our honeymoon completely planned out. Well, it's mostly planned out in my mind, and about 1/3 is actually planned out on credit card. I'll get to it. I heard no one goes to Europe in the summer anyway.
