PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

 A few evenings ago, I felt like baking something. I haven't been spending a lot of time in the kitchen for several months. Not just because it has been so hot, although that didn't help matters any. When fall finally arrives, I do seem to be more interested in baking. I love all of the smells in the kitchen in the fall so that's probably why I have been feeling this way.

If I'm not in the kitchen, you can usually find me in my sewing room working on lap-sized quilts for the quilt ministry at church that we call Blankets of Hope.  We just finished our special project for Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It is the poorest reservation in the country and for the past several years we have made special fleece blankets for them for the winter. Each year we have increased the amount we have made. This year we donated 70 blankets plus clothes, new and gently used, a sewing machine with sewing notions and even some fabric. 

The other night as I was looking through some recipes, I found a recipe for Pumpkin Scones. As usual with me and recipes, I made some changes to the recipe and they turned out great. I had planned  to share the recipe but got sidetracked and before I could write it up, I found this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars. Since I needed to bake something to share with the Cafe Treats at church yesterday, I decided to try that recipe. The two recipes actually go really well together because the scones used 2/3 cup of canned pumpkin and the bars used 1 cup. Those two amounts equal a can of pumpkin. 

The recipe was easy to prepare and was so moist and delicious. I used mini-chocolate chips instead of regular chocolate chips. I actually prefer to use them as they provide more chocolate chips throughout the bars.  I am sure I will be taking them to church for the Cafe Treats again this fall.

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PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

2       cups flour.

1        tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1        teaspoon baking soda

1/2    teaspoon salt

1        cup butter softened (2 sticks)

1        cup sugar

1        egg

2       teaspoons vanilla

1        cup canned pumpkin puree

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease or spray a 9 x 13 - inch pan. Set side.

Add flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture.

Mix well. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Then beat in the pumpkin.

Scrape the sides of the bowl, again.

Add the chips and stir until completely mixed in.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until all of the dry ingredients are wet. It didn't take too long. (forgot to take a picture)

Spread the batter evenly into the pan.

(Hint) When I spread the batter I don't spread all of it at once. I drip most of the batter in globs leaving some in the bowl.

After I spread the batter evenly in the pan, I take smaller amounts to fill in the spaces. This is so much easier than having to try to spread across the pan to fill in the edges.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the pan or the center is set. (I baked mine 35 minutes and then tested it with a toothpick in the center.)

Cut into squares when completely cool to enjoy.