Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

I was excited that Christina invited me to participate in this blog.  I love cooking, trying recipes, tweaking recipes, and creating my own recipes.  I enjoy cooking, but I absolutely love baking.  Baking is a release for me, and I love sweets.  Therefore, baking a fun treat is a win-win situation.

I may live in Arizona and it may still be 100 degrees, but I love the season of Fall.  I miss seeing mountain sides of yellow aspens.  I miss the cooler mornings and days.  I miss places that actually have the all of the season.  However, I live in a place that doesn't really have Fall.  Well, at least we don't have Fall when it comes to the weather.  In my home we have come to welcome Fall with open arms.

I put out the cute fall wreath I made last year, and I start baking Fallish (yes, I believe that is not a real word) dishes.  Yesterday, I made Black Bean Soup and it was delicious, but I'll share that recipe a little later.  I think it's fitting I share a Fall treat b/c that's what I am all about.  Plus, when you think Fall don't you also think pumpkins.  Therefore, the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars I just made is the perfect recipe to share with you all.  It's pumpkin-y, chocolate-y, sugar-y, and all around Fall-y (I do realize that that isn't a real word either).

Now, go ahead and make these delicious fall treats.  However, be aware that milk is the perfect companion for these treats that are sure to go quick.  This pictures literally shows the last two bars left in my house and I just made them Tuesday night.  

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Adapted from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (I forgot to take them out of the fridge so the microwave soften them great and they turned out fine)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz) (If you don't like pumpkin as much as I do you can limit this down to 1 cup)
1 package (12 oz) milk chocolate chips (If you are a semi or dark chocolate fan then feel free to substitute b/c it will still taste delicious)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray with flour.  Pam has one just for baking, but if you don't have it then spray with the cooking spray you have and flour the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; then set it aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on low until smooth; beat in the egg and vanilla until it's combined. Follow with beating in the pumpkin puree. The mixture might look not so appealing but keep going b/c it'll look like perfect pumpkin goodness soon.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients you set aside until they are just combined.  Finally, mix in the chocolate chips.

Next, spread the batter evenly in your sprayed and prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  I cooked it for 25 minutes, but my oven is a little fast and hot.  The bars will be more like a cake texture rather than a cookie bar texture, but they are delicious nonetheless.  Cool completely in the pan, or at least wait until it isn't pipping hot so that it doesn't fall apart when you cut it.

Enjoy these Fall treats, but plan ahead to share with others so you don't eat all of them.

MeganRuth

Latest and Greatest

Welcome to the Family Favorite Recipe Blog!

What started as roommates sharing our favorite recipes has grown to include new friends. We have a great history behind us with many go-to recipes.

However, things have slowed down. Postings are getting fewer in number. Comments are dwindling.

So, things are being shaken up!

Instead of having a few old friends share recipes, new women have been invited and hopefully they will accept!

We ask you try the recipe first and only publish your favorites. Be sure to comment and let us know if you're excited to try it, if you have tried it, and maybe even some tips.

Keep the recipes coming. At the very least our blog can be a resource to turn to for inspiration and in times of desperation.

Love,

Stina

Oven Tacos

Okay, I know all of your jaws are dropping right now. Yes, I am alive! I have been one busy mama and had to remove the unnecessary aspects from my life for a while...um year. I gave myself one pleasure and that would be pinterest. So, needless to say I have MANY recipes to post. The kids are back in school and I should be able to post more often. Sorry all for my absence and thank you for not kicking me to the curb :)


Okay, now to the recipe. It is a simple recipe that the family went crazy over. Don't you just love when you make something simple and easy, because you can’t figure out what to make for dinner, and the family loves you for the "special" meal you prepared for them?!?! This is one of those. Even Josh loved it and asked for it to be placed on the permanent meal plan list! I halved this recipe and made about 8 very full tacos.


Oven Tacos
Recipe from: lynnskitchenadventures.com

2 lbs ground beef
1 can refried beans
8 ounce tomato sauce

1 pkg taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning

1 ½ cups shredded cheese

18-20 hard taco shells

Lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc for serving.


1.Brown ground beef. Drain off any fat and add refried beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning.

2.Spoon mixture into taco shells.

3.Place filled shells into a 9×13 pan, standing up. Sprinkle with cheese.

4.Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

5.Enjoy!


Okay ladies, it has been so long since I posted that blogger has changed everything! I cannot figure out how to get a picture on the post??? I wonder if the website is having a hard time because half of the buttons are not where they should be, according to the help video blogger has. When I figure out the new format I can add a picture.