Divine Pumpkin Olive Oil Bars with Rum Frosting

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year, and one of the things I love about it is the Fall pumpkin harvest!  Love making pumpkin bars, cookies, soups, and pancakes.  Here are a couple of recipes that I really enjoy.......

Divine Pumpkin Olive Oil Bars with Rum Frosting

Ingredients:

Bars:

1 tsp salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon Delizia Cinnamon Pear Balsamic

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups white whole wheat flour ( I like King Arthur)

1 cup Brown Sugar (I use Splenda Brown Sugar Blend) If using regular brown sugar, use 1 2/3  cup.

2/3  cup Delizia Roasted Walnut Oil

1/3 cup Delizia Chemlali or Sweet Barnea olive oil

16oz  fresh or canned pumpkin

4 eggs

Frosting:

Large bar of cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

½ cup butter

4 tablespoons dark spiced rum or bourbon whiskey (I use Capt. Morgan’s)

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

Chocolate Shavings

Chopped Pecans

Grease and flour a 10 x 13 jelly roll pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in bowl.  Set aside. Mix the brown sugar, pumpkin, walnut oil and olive oil until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, then ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.  Add the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and mix for 3 minutes at medium speed.  Scrape sides of bowl and begin to add the flour mixture in small amounts at low speed, until all has been well incorporated into the batter.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Try not to over bake.  Cool bars completely before frosting.

Mix the cream cheese, vanilla extract, butter and rum on high speed until creamy and light.  Add powdered sugar in small amounts until the frosting has the desired consistency.  Frost the cooled bars and sprinkle chocolate shavings and pecans over all.  Enjoy these amazing bars for dessert, breakfast, or just because....

Pumpkin Pancakes

Hearty Breakfast for a crisp, Fall Morning

2 ½  cups of your favorite pancake mix (I love Sturdiwheat, and you can order it online)

1 egg

½ cup milk

1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons Delizia Chemlali extra virgin olive oil

Mix liquid ingredients into the pancake mix and blend well.  Add the pumpkin and stir. Heat the oil on the griddle. Drop by ¼ cupfuls onto a hot griddle.  Serve with Maple syrup, honey, or your favorite jam!