Pumpkin Bars W/ Cream Cheese Frosting

PUMPKIN BARS W/ CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(It's like what chocolate is to peanut butter!)

2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
2 tsp bkg powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
4 eggs well beaten
2 c pumpkin
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c oil

Beat eggs, add pumpkin, cinnamon, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Add the rest of dry ingredients. Combine.
Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of a 10x15 pan (I call this a jelly roll pan). Pour batter into pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min. Cool. Frost and cut into bars.
*There is a bigger pan out there that is more common than 10x15 - I think it's 11x17. I'm sure this would work, just adjust your baking time. There is plenty of frosting with this recipe so don't worry about not having enough for the larger pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 box (1#) powdered sugar
Cream the cream cheese and butter, add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until soft and creamy.

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I Never Knew

I just had to share....I took some snapshots with my little guy on the fly the other day and ended up with a good one! I must admit....I look at photos of really good photograpers to get ideas! Shhhh. I also have another secret. I tear up when I talk about him. Why? I don't know. I'm not an emotional person. But everytime I share a story or a funny moment - my eyes water. I guess he's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me! And he brings a smile to my face everyday. I never knew this kind of love until I had a child.

Menu Plan Monday

I feel like my meals have been on the "fly" lately. Plus - I am tired of all my 'usuals'. So I spent some extra time planning this week and visiting my new favorite recipe site. I only plan for dinners. I don't plan which day I will have what - I just wing it - it depends on what's going on for the day and what's quick if we are busy and so on....I'm also crockpotting a bunch of chicken because I know it's on sale at Safeway this week for 99 cents a lb. So here's what's cooking this week in no particular order!

Pork Pulled Sandwiches

Chimichangas Blancas

Steak Inspired Slow-Cooked Beef , Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Beef Stroganoff (with leftover Beef)

Chicken Tetrazinni

Hobo Bags (with leftover chicken or beef)

Pizza (Maybe Chicken Ranch Pizza with leftover chicken?)

For more great ideas visit here.

My Claim to Fame

Ok, so maybe it's not Hollywood but maybe it's "BloggyWood"!
My sister and I have been following Gail at Grocery Cart Challenge for awhile now and have been inspired to "Eat for Less"! We happen to live in the general vicinity of Gail and wouldn't you know it.....she actually is a real person! We saw her twice in one day, I almost felt like a stalker! We do our grocery shopping on Mondays (just like Gail) and also frequent the same liquidators. So as we're pulling in to SNS Liquidators my sister says "Gail shops on Mondays, maybe we'll see her!" TeeHee! There was a green volvo in the parking lot and I remember reading that she drove a volvo. I promptly forgot about it as we went in. We grab our carts and start perusing the "aisles" and Sara says "There she is! Did you see her? She's at the checkout! I almost didn't recognize her b/c her hair is longer and not as curly as her picture" I'd like to tell you now that I was brave and outgoing and went and introduced myself as her stalker - but I didn't. I just peeked around the shelving non chalantly (is that spelled correctly?) and gave the checkout a looksee.....and then in a whisper "Yes I saw her!" Aren't we silly. THEN we went to WinCo and I saw her heading to the checkstands and I started running from the end of the front area trying to catch her "Gail, Gail! I read your blog everyday, what are you buying can I look in your cart, How much did you spend today?! Can I get your autograph?" OK, that last sentence was a lie. But then I found my sister and she said "Did you see Gail? I was really close to her cart, she left it unattended with her purse and her shopping list!" No Way I said.
By the way, I made Taco Casserole tonight, just like Gail. Do you think I'm a threat? ;)

Projects!

Ok, so how many projects do you have going?!? It seems that I'm not getting very many of mine done....not to mention this blog....I think about things to write all the time, but most times I'd rather go to bed....but tonight it's 11:30pm and I'm waiting for bread to rise! AAAkkkkk! So I started a list...I add things to it as I think of them...and sometimes I just put things on it that I've already done just so I can cross it off the list! That way when I have a few minutes I just look at my list and see what I can fit into my open time frame. Otherwise I just dink around and try to remember all the things that need done.....Here a few of my ongoing projects.....




This is a burp rag I made for a friend of mine...I want to make more to have on hand for baby showers, very reasonable to make and they don't take much time, unless it's your first one, and it took me about 6 weeks! No joke. The second one took about 45 minutes!

Well, lo and behold - I haven't downloaded the rest of my project pics but I will tell you they include: Turning an old dresser into a sink for my bathroom. Stripping the paint off of 2 old doors and making them into headboards. Oh and a house that is a project all it's own. That's all for now, must check on the bread and get some much coveted sleep.....

Home Sweet Home!

Well I'm finally getting around to posting pics of our house. This pic makes it look so clean and inviting....when in all actuality it looks like a construction zone outside and in! We are first time home buyers and if you don't know it - you can get $8000 from the government for purchasing a home this year. I've amended our '08 taxes and I'm waiting on the check, which we will use for a kitchen and paying off bills.
So - lets enjoy the tour....I'll try and update as I make changes...alot of painting has already happened and I don't have photos of that yet. I'm having problems getting this pics to post where I want them to....bear with me. That picture is my kitchen...SCARY! If anyone knows of a contest I can enter for the worst kitchen just let me know! More to come....a 3 yr old wants me to sit with him while he watches Nemo.....

Machine Free EASY Chocolate Ice-Cream

This is seriously so good.....better plan to make a double batch! I've been hearing lately how bad store bought ice-cream is for you - with all the chemicals and ingredients you've never heard of. I don't have an ice-cream maker yet (haven't found one at a yard sale!) so this recipe was perfect! I discovered it in a local paper, but it originally came from Cook's Country magazine June/July issue.


MACHINE FREE EASY CHOCOLATE ICE-CREAM

1 tsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp hot water
4 oz bittersweet chocolate pieces, chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
1 1/4 cup cold whipping cream

Combine instant coffee and hot water in a small bowl. Let stand until coffee dissolves, about 5 minutes. Microwave chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk and coffee mixture in bowl, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool.

With electric mixer on med-hi speed, whip cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Whisk a third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until incorporated. Freeze in airtight container until firm, at least 6 hours. If you don't plan to eat this all right away (trust me you won't have this problem!) then lay plastic wrap over the surface to keep better in the freezer.

**NOTES**
I used dark chocolate chips (bag said 60% cacao).
You can omit or reduce the coffee granules, but honestly you don't taste the coffee, it just gives the flavor some depth.

This is soooooo good, did I mention that already?

For more great recipes check out Friday Recipe Swap at Grocery Cart Challenge!