Pumpkin Bars and Feeding Teenagers, i.e., Loving on Grands

After my last blog post about the dismal lack of pumpkin pie filling, the UPS driver showed up with a box at our doorstep. Six beautiful cans of PPF shipped to us from my always-so-thoughtful daughter-in-love, so I'm deep into pumpkin lately. Such bliss to look into my cupboard and see those cans lined up, and know they're good to use until fall of 2022!

This past week I stayed with four of our grands while their parents slipped away briefly. After 19 years of grandparenting, I still have much to learn. But one thing I've learned  - what matters most to them is that I don't growl any more than absolutely necessary, and feed them constantly. And yummy food will cover some of the growling that is here and there needed to encourage the doing of chores, following of rules their parents left for them, hanging up of wet towels, walking the dog, or cleaning the catbox. 

The other thing I have learned is that they eat like locusts, and a 9 x 13 of anything disappears within hours. If it doesn't I shouldn't bother to ever make it again, but usually they'll wander into the kitchen and pick the low hanging fruit - whatever I've left out on the counter - a tangible sign of my deeply held love for them. 

The first night there I made them ham and bean soup, using the package of 15 beans (dried, not canned) you can find at Walmart. It cooks up in a chunk of the day using the Instapot, and something in that process of pressure cooking leaves it less volatile when eating, which teenagers seem to appreciate :-) They ate the entirety of it, served over hot chunks of cornbread at one meal.

The next day I made a pan of pumpkin bars, going all the way back to 1981 and our North Dakota days, a recipe that was in the little Baptist church cookbook, essentially the same thing as a 100% guarantee it'll be good. And it is. One can of pumpkin provided by my DIL kept them fed for the bulk of the day. And reminded them I loved them, in spite of the naggy reminders to do chores, be nice to each other, and to spend more time on their schoolwork than their video gaming. 

It's good enough to be a substitute for pumpkin pie at next week's big meal, can be made ahead and refrigerate til ready to serve. Very moist, and makes a decent fill in for breakfast on Black Friday. 

Here's the recipe to enjoy:

Pumpkin Bars

Washburn, ND Cookbook (1981)

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

4 eggs

2 cups flour (can use gluten free)

2 tsp baking powser

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream together oil, sugar, pumpkin and eggs. Sift together other ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13 glass or metal baking dish that has been sprayed with pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Test center for doneness. When completely cool frost with cream cheese frosting. 

Cream Cheese frosting:

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese

1 stick butter

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt 

1 - 2 tsp milk *

Soften cream cheese and butter, either by setting out or on low setting in microwave. Cream together cream cheese, butter, milk, vanilla and salt. Ad powdered sugar. Mix til smooth, Spread over completely cooled pumpkin bars. 

*may need more to get smooth, spreadable consistency

My very favorite magazine is Magnolia, Joanna Gaines' that comes out a handful of times a year. I usually grab it when we're in Lowes, At $7.99 I think it's a good deal, always full of recipes I would actually consider cooking, and the articles are warm and cozy and encouraging. Rarely is there a skirt or such in there for an amount that would buy a week of groceries for a family of four. 

So this month's winter issue had a note that Magnolia puts out a playlist on Spotify now and then, and I've been listening to 'Magnolia Market at the Silos' while I do desk work, or clean or cook. This issue Joanna listed a new one, 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year', full of wonderful Christmas music. Available on the free version of Spotify. 

One more thing I've learned as a grandparent, grands never get too big to be tucked in, even if it's just a kiss on the top of their head and telling them, "I love you", especially when their parents are away. And if they're under 10 it doesn't hurt to know what song their parents sing to them, read them a book (yes, even if they can read themselves) and pray with them before turning out the light. Such a sweet privilege to do so. 

Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Yes, it's been an insane, challenging year, but as someone said, 'There's always something to be thankful for.' Indeed.