During the holidays, my fiancé and I attend several annual gatherings; visit family all over Georgia, in Mississippi and host friends from out of state; we cook – a lot; and this year, we’re celebrating my brother’s wedding and the births of a few new babies. From the middle of October through the middle of January, we run on fumes, making it all work on very little sleep. It’s exhausting and truly amazing to have so many friends and family members that want us around for the holiday season – a true blessing.  

The holidays also provide us with a reason to attempt baking…again. We’re not bakers, but we’re not quitters. We’ll continue to meet with failures – and a few successes – until we can deem ourselves at least competent in the realm of baking.

For November book club – which I hosted – pumpkin pie bars with gingerbread crust. Yum...

(adapted a good bit from Annie's Eats)

For the crust, you’ll need:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
12 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the filling, you’ll need:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and toss with a fork. Add the pieces of butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You really can use your hands if your sans blender. Press this mixture into a well-greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake the crust for around 15 minutes while you ready your filling.

For the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla in the bowl. Mix on medium speed until combined.

Remove the crust from the oven, and pour the filling into the pan. Smooth it level. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool on wire rack until sliceable, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.