Prelude To The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

    Whilst wandering the aisle of my local department store I stared in utter disbelief at the maze of Christmas decorations beginning to dawn the shelves. Stopping for a mental calculation...three months... Less than Four months until Christmas! As a devoted and beloved member of the late season lovers I can't help but feel the excitement begin to rise! The possibilities! The chance for sharing and the time for caring. With my new found "free time" I can truly indulge my crafting bone. Crafting and cooking:) After all first things first! One cannot implore the crafting world on an empty stomach!
 
     I'm craving orange today! Anything pumpkin and spice! Chocolate chip zucchini bread was a hit, and there is plenty in the freezer to hit the spot during nose nipping winter months!

   However...it can never be too soon to bust out a fresh pan of pumpkin bars! Here is my coveted recipe, use it wisely and be careful not to hoard the entire pan to oneself!

 Pumpkin Bars:

2c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. each, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. each, salt and cloves
1 c. oil
2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. softened butter
1 3oz package softened cream cheese
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sheet pan. Bars are made by combining all ingredients and beat on low until moistened. Pour onto greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes revelling in that warm pumpkin smell! Let cool completely before frosting. Frosting is made by combining all ingredients and whipping until smooth. Frost and cut into bars. Add chopped nuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy! 

    While your bars are cooling head into the back yard with some orange spray paint, assorted size logs, sagebrush branches cut into various lengths, jute, ribbon and your imagination to create your own decorative pumpkins:) Two weeks until the first day of FALL!

Loressa