This week is a real treat for me.   Jocelyn is  in Virginia with her husband and I get the week to myself with my grandkids in Denver.  Not only are we having lots of fun family time together, I get to enjoy a real fall . . . the leaves are in full color, the air is crisp and chilly-  it is absolutely beautiful.

Fall is such a fun time of year and brings with it all the parties, celebrations and festivities of the holidays. These Pumpkin Bars are the perfect Go-To Dessert for Halloween through Christmas.  They are incredibly moist, delicious, and bursting with pumpkin flavor.  I  guarantee they will be the first to disappear at your upcoming holiday affairs {they might even trump the pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving}.  As a big bonus, they are simple to make {which we all love}, but incredibly impressive.

P.S.  Don’t forget to enter our Olive Garden Giveaway this week, and remember to stop by your local Sams Club on Friday, Oct. 19 for a sample of our Caramel Potatoes Tortellini Skewers!

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 2/3  cup of sugar
1 cup of oil
1 15 oz can pumpkin
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of cloves
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together eggs, sugar, oil and pie filling in a large mixing bowl. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and add to pumpkin mixture. Mix for 3-4 minutes at medium speed. Pour into ungreased 13 x 18 sheet pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (try not to overbake).  Cool completely and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

 Makes enough for a crowd!

 Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ cup of butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla until well combined.  Spread frosting over cooled pumpkin bars.

Bet you can’t eat just one . . .