Pumpkin Bars for Holidays

“This is a favorite recipe of my whole family for the holidays,” Ester Derkez of Wisconsin writes. “Everyone that’s ever had it has loved it.”

PUMPKIN BARS

4 eggs

1 cup oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat eggs, oil and sugar. Mix in pumpkin, then flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir in nuts. Pour into greased 17x11-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cut into bars. Makes 40 bars.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 tablespoon half and half

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese with butter until creamy. Add half and half, powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.

--ESTER DERKEZ

Tomah, Wis.