EASY PUMPKIN BARS & APPLE CRISP

This is a recipe I found in a Better Homes & Garden magazine about 100 years ago. It's very easy, and reminiscent of carrot cake, only softer in texture and moister. I used to make it all the time when I had somebody around here to make it for. Gary doesn't count. I think I'll make it this week, anyway. Mmmmmm......

PUMPKIN BARS

Preheat oven to 350

4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1-16 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until fluffy. Stir together dry ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture. Spread in an ungreased 15x10 baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

FROSTING:
1-3 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 t. REAL vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat on high with electric mixer until smooth.

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Beside anything made with pumpkin (pumpkin-pie salt water taffy included - yes, it exists), Autumn makes me crave anything apple related. Without a doubt, my favorite is apple crisp.
This is my mother's recipe. It is a very simple, classic apple crisp - I like to think of it as the original apple crisp, before everybody tried jazzing it up with oatmeal and caramel and nuts, etc. I like other apple crisps, but I still think my mom's is the very best. It's so good served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

APPLE CRISP

Preheat oven to 350

4 cups sliced apples ( use whatever you have on hand, my mom did)
1 t. cinnamon
7 T. butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 c. water.

Arrange apple slices in a 9x9 buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and evenly drizzle the water over the apples. In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and flour until crumbly, then sprinkle evenly over the apples. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.