Pumpkin Bars & Pumpkin Cookies

PUMPKIN BARS

4 eggs
1 - 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup oil
one 15 ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

ICING:
One 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened (I used and recommend butter)
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly comined and the batter is smooth.

3. Spread the batter in an ungreased nonstick 13 by 10 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

4. To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Makes 48 small bars or 24 larger ones.

PUMPKIN COOKIES
1 c. Shortening
1 c. Sugar
1 c. Pumpkin
1 Egg
2 c. Flour
1 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Salt
Preheat oven to 375* cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin. Add egg and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes Cool and ice with cream cheese icing(makes 48 cookies)