Thanksgiving 2009

This year, J and I spent Thanksgiving with my family in my hometown. We had a great time visiting with parents, grandparents, siblings, sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, and cousins.



We got in late Wednesday night. Thanksgiving day, we helped my parents get the lunch ready. J and I were able to help them with a few of the dishes they were making. I also made pumpkin bars for dessert. The recipe for the bars is from the Food Network. I cant take credit for them.

Pumpkin Bars

Recipe courtesy Patty Ronning as adapted by Paula Deen on www.foodnetwork.com

Prep Time: 15 minCook Time: 30 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 48 small bars or 24 larger bars

Ingredients

Bars:

* 4 eggs

* 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 15-ounce can pumpkin

* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

* 2 teaspoons baking powder

* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

* 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

* 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.