Nutty Pumpkin Bars Food

NUTTY PUMPKIN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Beat flour, brown sugar, pumpkin, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, and baking powder together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until batter is evenly combined, about 2 minutes. Fold pecans into batter and spread into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• Beat 2 tablespoons butter and confectioners' sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth; beat in orange juice and orange zest until frosting is light and spreadable. Spread frosting onto cooled bars.

NUTTY GRAIN AND OAT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 8 1/2x4" loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on long sides; spray parchment.
• Bring dates and maple syrup to a boil in a small saucepan, reduce heat to medium-high, and boil, stirring often, until dates are very soft and maple syrup is slightly reduced, 8-10 minutes. Remove date mixture from heat and stir in butter until it is melted. Mash dates with a potato masher or fork until as smooth as possible. (if you have an immersion blender, it will work, too). You should have about 1 cup.
• Toss oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, amaranth, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in date mixture until evenly coated. Scrape half of oat mixture into prepared pan and press very firmly and evenly with a rubber spatula to compress it as much as possible. Add remaining oat mixture and press until very tightly packed into pan.
• Bake, tenting with foil if browning too quickly, until loaf is darkened in color and firm around the edges, and center gives just slightly when pressed, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let loaf cool in pan before turning out (it can even sit overnight). Cut into 1/2"-thick slices with a serrated knife.
• For crisp bars, lay slices on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, or toast as desired in a toaster oven.
• DO AHEAD: Loaf can be made 5 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.

PUMPKIN-WALNUT PRALINE BARS

Steps:

• Make the Pastry:.
• In food processor, combine the flour with the sugar and salt. Add the pieces of cold butter and pulse until they resemble small peas. Add the ice water and pulse just until the dough is slightly moistened. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it serveral times, until it comes together. Flatten the dough into a flat circle, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter a 9"x13" glass baking dish. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to an 11"x15" rectangle, about 1/8" thick. Trim the pastry to a 10"x14" rectangle. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and carefully unroll it in prepared baking dish, easing it into the corners. Line the pastry with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans. Bake the pastry for 20 minutes, or until it is lightly browned and just set. Remove the foil and beans. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes longer, until the pastry is cooked through but not browned.
• Make the filling:.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the light brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin-pie spice. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth. Whisk in evaporated milk until the filling is blended. Pour the filling into the prebaked crust and smooth the surface. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but very wiggly in the center.
• Make the Topping:.
• In a medium bowl, toss the walnuts with the flour and brown sugar. Add the butter and stir until combined. Drop tablespoons of the topping onto the partially baked pumpkin layer. Bake about 20 minutes longer, until the topping is sizzling and golden and the pumpkin filling is just barely wiggly in the center. Let it cool completely, and cut into 16 bars. Enjoy!
• Note: the bars can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

PUMPKIN-PECAN SQUARES

Steps:

• Optional- substitute 2 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice in lieu of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
• Optional- substitute 3 cups (435 gms) of bleached all-purpose flour for the unbleached& cake flours.
• Line a 9x13 aluminum baking pan with heavy duty foil.
• Leave 2-3 inches of foil sticking out of the pan on the short sides to aid in lifting the finished product out of the pan.
• FOR THE PASTRY: In a small bowl or plastic bag measure and mix flours and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (can be done with a hand mixer), mix the butter, vanilla extract and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add flours 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
• Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
• Press dough into prepared pan about 1/4-inch thick.
• Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer.
• Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
• While the pastry is resting, Place rack in center of oven.
• Preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Spread nuts on a cookie sheet and roast for 5-10 minutes, unitl hot and aromatic (do not burn them!) Allow to cool Bake pastry until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
• HAVE FILLING READY WHEN CRUST COMES OUT OF OVEN.
• Lower oven temp to 350 degrees.
• FOR THE FILLING: Mix spices, salt and sugar in a small bowl, whisk to combine.
• Whisk pumpkin, eggs, yolks, extract, evaporated milk in a large bowl until smooth.
• Slowly add sugar/spice mix and beat until well combined.
• Pour over HOT crust.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until just set and still jiggles in the center.
• HAVE TOPPING READY WHEN BARS COME OUT OF OVEN.
• FOR THE TOPPING: Combine topping ingredients, when filling has set remove bars from oven and evenly sprinkle topping over filling.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, you just want the topping to be browned and about 1/2 melted The filling may start to crack and get a bit puffy.
• Cool on a wire rack for several hours, refrigerate overnight, remove from pan, cut into 24 squares, sprinkle sugar on bars.
• Keep in refigerator until ready to serve with a dollup of slightly sweetened whipped cream.

HOME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Beat flour, oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar and butter in a small mixer until crumbly. Press onto bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Beat pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in a large mixer bowl until smooth. Pour over crust. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.
• Combine remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and nuts in small bowl; sprinkle over filling. Bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.