Pumpkin Spice Bar

Generally I like to cook and bake from scratch but during the Holiday Season it's nice to have a few recipes that don't take quite as much work.  Here's one for ya!

Bottom layer:
1 pkg spice cake mix
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 large egg

Top layer:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
15 oz. canned pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 c. chopped pecans for topping

Place a rack in the center of the over, and preheat the over to 350 degrees.  Grease a jelly-roll or half sheet pan about 18 x 13 x1.  Place the cake mix, melted butter and egg in a large bowl and blend with a wooden spoon until they just come together.  The mixture will be dry.  Press mixture over the bottom of the pan.  Set the pan aside.

Place the soft cream cheese in a mixing bowl and blend on low until softened.  Add the condensed milk, pumpkin, and eggs.  Blend until the mixture is smooth.  Pour this over the crust and top with pecans.  Place the pan in the oven.  Bake until the filling has set, 30 to 35m minutes.  Cool 1 hour in the pan then cut into bars.

Tip:  Add a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the cream cheese mixture.  Make sure the cream cheese is soft before you begin.

Peanut Butter Bars

Credit to Meghan Robles for this one!

1 C. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
2 c. oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. peanut butter divided
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt

Cream sugar, brown sugar and butter. Add vanilla eggs, and 1 c. peanut butter. Combine remaining dry ingredients and mix into wet ingredients.

Spread doug onto a greased cake pan ~ jelly roll pan is great to use for thickness. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While hot spread remaing 1 1/2 cups peanut butter on top (let the peanut butter melt before spreading for best results). When cool top with chocolate frosting.

Frosting:
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. evaporated milk
3 Tbsp cocoa

Combine and enjoy.