Pumpkin Bars

Nothing says fall like baking with pumpkin! Pumpkin bars have been a family favorite for as long as I can remember--the mild pumpkin flavor with the cinnamon spice, and then the cream cheese frosting, they're soooo good. The recipe is from my mom.

4 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour

Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes in a 10 x 15 pan.

Frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 T. butter, softened
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. milk

Mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add a little more milk if needed.

Rival Bars

This recipe has been in our family since I was a kid. I've also seen these called rebel or revel bars.

Crust/Topping:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups oatmeal

Filling:
1 pkg. chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

For crust: Mix together butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda and oatmeal. Pat 2/3 of mixture onto bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Reserve remaining mixture.

For filling: Melt chocolate chips (in double boiler or microwave). Add sweetened condensed milk, butter, salt and vanilla. Pour over the oatmeal layer. Drop pieces of remaining oatmeal mixture over the top. Drop with teaspoons. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Peanut Butter Fingers

This is one of my favorite bar recipes.

Cream together:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

Blend in:

1 egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

Stir in 1 cup flour and 1 cup oatmeal.

Spread in 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with 6 oz. chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes.

Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup peanut butter and 2-4 tablespoons evaporated milk (I usually use regular milk). Spread melted chips evenly over bars and drizzle with peanut butter mixture. Cool and cut into bars.

Salted Peanut Chews

This recipe came from my mom--we often make it around Christmas.

Base:

1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix

1 egg

1/3 cup softened butter

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping:

2/3-cup light corn syrup

2 cups peanut butter chips

¼ cup butter

2 cups Rice Krispies (I didn't have Rice Krispies, so I used Special K)

2-tsp. vanilla

2 cups salted peanuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine all base ingredients, except marshmallows, at low speed. Press in ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-18 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.

In large saucepan, heat corn syrup, butter, vanilla and chips just until melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in cereal and nuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows and chill.

Triple Chocolate Cherry Bars

This recipe was on the back of a Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix.

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist chocolate fudge cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I used regular, not miniature)
1 container Betty Crocker Whipped chocolate frosting

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, or 325 degrees for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour, or spray with baking spray with flour, 15x10x1-inch pan (I used this size), or 13x9-inch pan.

2. In large bowl, gently mix dry cake mix, pie filling, eggs and chocolate chips with rubber scraper; break up any undissolved cake mix by pressing with scraper. Carefully spread in pan.

3. Bake 15 x 10 pan 25 to 30 minutes, 13 x 9 pan 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting.

Special K Bars

Definitely a classic.

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Special K cereal
Place sugar and syrup in a saucepan. Stir to combine; heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Mix well and add cereal. mix and spread into 9 x 13 pan.

Frosting:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
Melt chips in double boiler (or microwave). Spread over bars. Cool and cut.

S'more Cookie Bars

The Wit's End Bakery and Corner Store next to our office makes the best s'more cookies, so I was looking to duplicate their recipe. I didn't find a cookie recipe, but I did find this bar recipe at bakingbites.com.

S’More Cookie Bars
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs*
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s) (I used chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows) (I used regular marshmallows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick.
Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff.
Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cool completely before cutting into bars.

I put all the dough in the pan and baked about 25 minutes. Then I added a layer of marshmallows and baked an additional 5-10 minutes until they were puffy and lightly brown. I took them out of the oven, sprinkled with chocolate chips and let them melt, and then spread the chocolate chips over top.

Makes 16 cookie bars.

*Note: 3/4 cup crumbs is approx 7 full-sized graham cracker sheets, whizzed in the food processor until fine. (I put the crackers in a plastic bag and crush with my rolling pin.)