Spicy Pumpkin Bars

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I always look forward to the leaves changing colors, the crispness of the air and the smell of fall. Also I always have to get my Spicy Pumpkin Bar fix. My mind always craves these every Fall. So I will share this decades old recipe with you so you too may get your pumpkin fix. Happy Fall to you.

Spicy Pumpkin Bars

• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 15 oz can pumpkin

You will need 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 1/8 inch a jelly roll pan for this recipe. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a electric mixer blend sugars and Crisco together well, then add the eggs. Sift together dry ingredients then slowly add to sugar and Crisco mixture, blend well. Add pumpkin and mix until all is blended. Grease the jelly roll pan and spread the stiff batter evenly into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

With a electric mixer cream together cream cheese and butter, then add vanilla extract and slowly add powdered sugar. Once sugar has been mixed in well blend well at a high speed. Frost cake once it has cooled completely. Refrigerate until serving time.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Fall is here and so are all of the goodies that come with it. Add this one to your list, Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes. They will melt in your mouth. The pancakes are so light and fluffy and they absorb the syrup, so you may need a second splash of that. Oh, the aroma of the pancakes cooking will have your family come running to the table. It's a great warm you up breakfast to stop the rumbling in your tummy.

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 Tbsp. baking powder
• 4 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. allspice
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup pumpkin
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pam cooking oil spray

Preheat large nonstick pan over medium heat. In a large bowl mix together the first six ingredients and set aside. In a medium size bowl mix together the next five ingredients, mixing well and make sure pumpkin is dispersed throughout. Then add it to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. In a large. nonstick, oil-coated pan add ¼ cup of batter at a time. Flip when edges start to look dry and it is just starting to brown. Cook until golden brown and serve immediately with butter and maple syrup. Makes 16 pancakes.

White Chocolate Spiced Wafers & Spiced Ice Cream Sandwiches

It's fall and the leaves are changing here in Maryland. It is just beautiful to take a ride and see all of the pretty colors. It hasn't peaked yet, so if you have time take a ride to Maryland it will be well worth your time. With fall I always think of spicy sweets, savory soups, and the the wonderful aroma that fills your house as you make them. It's funny how the season's affect your food cravings. Fall inspired me to try these really quick and easy sweet treats. They are only half way homemade, trick or treat. Sweets for the goblins, enjoy!

White Chocolate Spiced Wafers

• 1 16 oz. box Sweetzel's spiced wafers
• 1 cup Ghirardelli classic white baking chips, 11 oz. bag
• 2 Tbsp. Crisco
• candy corn, optional

Place cookies in freezer while preparing chocolate. In a double boiler over medium low heat melt chocolate and Crisco. Wisk together well and make sure that there is not any unmelted chocolate pieces. Place melted chocolate in a small ziploc sandwich or snack size bag. Then push out as much air as possible and seal it closed. With kitchen scissors snip a small piece off of one corner of the bag. Line up cookies on top of a cookie sheet, then squeeze on top of each cookie a circle of melted chocolate and immediately place a piece of candy corn on top. When all are decorated place in refigerator for about 15 minutes or until chocolate has hardened.


Spiced Ice Cream Sandwiches

• 1 container of vanilla ice cream
• 1 box of Sweetzel's spiced wafers.

Remove ice cream from freezer and let set on counter for about 5 minutes or until ice cream is soft enough to spread. With a flat sandwich spreader knife evenly coat one cookie with ice cream about ½ inch thick, then top with another cookie and press together. Spread knife around edges to smooth ice cream. Wrap them individually with plastic wrap and freeze immediately. Freeze overnight or for several hours.

Thanks to Lucky IraqDog, for helping to promote my cookbook, by giving a copy away to his 4,000th facebook fan. Happy Barkday, Lucky!

Pumpkin Bread

• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs
• ⅔ cup water
• 3 ½ cups flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 °. In a large bowl mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, water, and sugar. Sift the rest of ingredients together and slowly add to the pumpkin mixture. You may mix this by hand or use an electric mixer. Mix well.

Pour into greased and floured 3 loaf pans, 8½ x 4½ inches, or 2 loaf pans, 9¼ x 5¼ inches. Bake at 350 ° for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Eat one now and freeze a few for later or make some friends or family happy with some pumpkin bread. This is a favorite of Kathy's. I prefer the smaller loaves.