Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

The flavor of pumpkin and cream cheese is delicious in these bars. They make a wonderful Autumn treat. This is one of my favorite bar recipes. :) They are good with or without the frosting. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Filling

5 Tbsp. butter softened
Two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 13+9-inch baking pan or spray with no-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at high speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the pumpkin and molasses. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. On medium speed, gradually add to the pumpkin batter, mixing well. Stir in the walnuts.

To make the filling, in a small bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in sugar, then individually , the eggs, vanilla, and flour. Beat on medium speed until well blended, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Spread half of the pumpkin batter evenly in the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese filling evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining pumpkin batter evenly over the filling. Swirl a knife through the batter for a marbled effect.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool to the pan on a wire rack. If desired frost with Browned Butter Frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting

3 Tbsp. Butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sugar. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is light brown in color. Remove from the heat. Stir in the milk and vanilla and stir until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Autumn

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.
Psalm 28:7

Seasonal Delights~Free through September

I recently came across a website called Seasonal Delights They have a quarterly magazine, which is primarily designed for young ladies and their mothers. A one-year subscription is free through September 2007. It's full of great recipes, crafts, and neat ideas.

The magazine is published electronically as a PDF file, and is formatted for 8.5 x 11" pages. It is a full-color publication.

Egg tricks

Here are a few egg hints that I thought might be helpful for those of you who like eggs. :)

~Hard-boiled eggs will peel more easily if you boil them in salted water.

~ After hard-boiled eggs have finished boiling, immediately rinse them, and then leave them soak in VERY cold water -- the colder the better, icy is best. This insures that the shell will separate from the albumen (the thin film that separates the shell from the egg) Which will make them very easy to peel.

~Fresh eggs are harder to peel than older eggs, so for best results use a not-so-fresh egg. If you are getting your eggs from a supermarket, you probably need not worry.

~Egg whites will whip up faster if you add a pinch of salt when beating them. It's best to use a bowl made of copper, stainless steel or glass when whipping egg whites. Make sure that the bowl is clean and dry.

~Freeze leftover egg whites in small, airtight containers or bags. mark the container with the amount and date.

~ To determine whether or not an egg is cooked, rotate on it's end on your counter top. Hard-boiled eggs spin smoothly; uncooked ones tend to wobble.

...And you shall be witnesses unto me..

I am my neighbor's Bible,
he reads me when we meet,
Today he reads me in the house,
Tomorrow in the street.

He may be relative or friend,
or slight acquaintance be,
He may not even know my name,
Yet he is reading me.

.....and you shall be witnesses unto me...(acts 1:8)

The official U.S. Air Service's 1920 regulations

This is something I came across recently that I thought was interesting and funny. :)
The official U.S. Air Service's 1920 regulations for operation an aircraft:

1. Don't take the machine into the air unless you are satisfied it will fly.
2. Never leave the ground with the motor leaking.
3. Never get out of the machine with the motor running until the pilot relieving you can reach the engine controls.
4. The pilot should carry hankies in a handy position to wipe off goggles.
5.Riding on the steps, wings or tail of the machine is prohibited.
6. In case the engine fails on takeoff, land straight ahead regardless of obstacles.
7. No machine must taxi faster then a man can walk.
8.Do not trust the altitude instruments.
9.Before you begin a landing glide, see that no machines are under you.
10. If you see another machine near you get out of its way.
11. Pilots will not wear spurs while flying.
12. If an emergency occurs while flying, land as soon as you can. :)

Blueberry Custard Tarts

My younger sister made these tarts a few days ago, they turned out really good. :) So I thought I would share the recipe. We used blueberries for the topping but you can also use your favorite fruit such as: strawberries, raspberries, etc. These would make an excellent treat to have at a tea party as well as for dessert. Oh and by the way, we found that using muffin cups instead of tart pans, works just as well. Hope you enjoy!

For the Custard:

1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, beaten
2Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter

Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium-size saucepan. Mix together the milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the butter. Let the custard cook until very thick, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cook to room temperature. Fill the cooked pastry shells with the custard. Add your favorite fruit to the top of the custard.

Sweet Pastry

Makes enough dough for 6 tarts

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 egg, slightly beaten

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Mix until the dough is crumbly, Add enough of the egg, approximately one half , to form a dough, Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 6 4-inch circles. (Freeze the remaining dough, well wrapped. It will last 3 months.) Place a dough circle in each of 6 fluted tart pans, 3 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch high. Press down and around gently. Remove any excess. Gently prick the dough with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 30 minutes or until starting to brown. Cool in the tins until ready to use.

Prayer

"Prayer is not merely bringing certain request to God. Prayer is the highest revelation of our fitness for fellowship with God. It begins with the deep humility that knows that it is nothing. It has no desire but to meet God in the fellowship of His love; and then with the whole being continually to live in absolute surrender, to do and to be, what and how the Beloved pleases."