Monday, November 24, 2008

Turkey Day Troubles - Installment #5

Forrest volunteered to deliver the Thanksgiving meals his office had donated to two needy families today. Everyone in his office contributed by donating gift cards, non-perishable food items, and Christmas gifts for the children in the families. He suggested that I bake a Thanksgiving treat so they had something homemade. I knew exactly what I wanted to make after seeing Paula Deen whip up these pretty goodies.

Pumpkin Bars
Paula Deen

Igredients

Bars:
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 15-ounce can pumpkin
  • 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
Icing:
  • 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl

with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined.

Stir in the vanilla and mix again.

Spread on cooled pumpkin bars (I piped them for a cleaner presentation).

I didn't try these treats because I don't eat Pumpkin. But of course Forrest had to try them and he loved them. I also brought a couple leftover bars to work and everyone who tried them seemed to really enjoy them.

13 comments:

  1. ...and take it from me (cuz my tastebuds don't lie) these were the smoothest, sweetest, most melt-in-your mouth kind of goodness you'll ever need. The cream cheese frosting was light and the perfect accompaniment to this exquisite dessert! Paula Deen, move over!

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  2. I made these a few weeks ago and thought they were so good! Yours look delicious!

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  3. These look yummy! And I love pumpkin! I wish I had more time to bake for Thanksgiving ... but I will be too busy baking the biscuts for Bacon Biscut Dressing!

    Jessica

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  4. They look fabulous!

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  5. Well, turkey day installments went just great. I want to update my situation and let everyone know that I bounced back from the surgery much quicker than anticipated. I am hoping that the non cooks....(daughter and daughter-in-law) bring the dishes they decided to bring when they thought I would not be up to the cooking duties. This may work out to be the best deal ever. Thanks, Biz, for getting the girls to help out with the cooking. I'm wondering what ailment I can come up with to have at Christmas???????? This getting cooking help might just spoil me.

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  6. Bizzy I have been following your installments as well and have even tried a few! I am glad Miss Judy is up and going and i too like her, think you lost most of the cooks after installment #1. but we will see; maybe they will "picture-cam" their Thanksgiving table back to you at "Planet Bizzy". Have a happy Thanksgiving to you and Forrest.

    Nammo in Alabama

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  7. Elizabeth - what wonderful news that your dear Mom came through her surgery like a champ. I do hope she takes the time to properly convalesce and continues to rest.

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  8. yummmm!!! that looks delicious and so, so good!

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  9. i have been making these for years, my family loves it. Yours look amazing.

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  10. Those pumpkin bars look delicious. The whipped cream looks so pretty on them!

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  11. They look AUPER yummy. But if you don't mind me asking, where did you ever get that AWESOME baking pan?? Whit with beading = what I LOVE!

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  12. Katie,
    I actually got it as a wedding gift and it wasn't on any of my registries so I have no idea where it came from. It was in a set with another baker that was circle and they both had wire racks. Sorry I can't be of more help :-(

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  13. I made these for Thanksgiving last year. I am not sure why I have not made them again since - because they are UNBELIEVABLE.

    There are just not adjectives in any language that I am aware of that can come anywhere near an accurate description of how perfect these are.

    thank you SO much for this.

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