They're Loaded with Calories, Honest Injun!

On this blog I always, always tell the truth. I don't tell E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G., and you can be thankful for that, because some things are just TMI. But what I do tell is true as the day is long.

So the truth is that my husband tells me I'm expensive. To which I reply it was never my goal to be cheap, or possibly even affordable, but rather worth every cent it costs him to have me along for the ride. Then he tells whoever is listening that I married him for his money, and I reply that he didn't have any. I married him because he was hot fire good lookin'. Which always makes him blush and drop the subject of my expensiveness.

The truth about these pumpkin bars is that they are fattening. And worth every calorie. When I was making them this morning I considered the lite version, substituting apple sauce for the oil, and using an extra egg white instead of all the eggs, but you know, life is short and I could get hit by a bus this afternoon, so I stuck with the original.

I strongly suggest you do the same.

Because they ARE fattening, I suggest you cut them into slices, and immediately give away about half of them. It's very easy to convince yourself they are a suitable choice for breakfast or lunch or dinner or because you're sad or happy or reading a book or whatever. So give some away, and enjoy the daylights out of the ones you do eat.
These are going to my daughter's house - she isn't really in love with baking but her husband and my grandson love all baked goods.

A sidenote - I rarely, rarely make frosting. Those little white tubs in the baking aisle are right up my alley, but this frosting? Make it. I'm not even a real icing girl, but this is fabulous. Melts in your mouth, and leaves it happier for the experience.

So here you go - Bev's Pumpkin Bars (because I don't remember whose recipe I copied):

1 cup oil 2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin 4 eggs

2 cups flour 2 tsp baking pwder

1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream together oil, sugar, pumpkin and eggs. (Just do it and don't think about it too much.) Sift together other ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Test for doneness. When completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting:
1- 8 oz pkg cream cheese 1 tsp milk

1 stick butter 2 tsp vanilla

1 box powdered sugar 1/2 tsp salt

Cream together cream cheese, butter, milk, vanilla & salt. Add powdered sugar. Mix til smooth and slather on. (Note - I don't know how much a 'box' of powdered sugar has in it. I just poured from the bag til it looked the right consistency.)

And because this blog is honest injun': I immediately scooped up TWO bars, and ate them right smack in the middle of the day, because I wanted to.

P.S. Throw a handful of chopped nuts on the top if you'd like. What's a few more calories?