Desserts: Pumpkin Pecan Bars (non-slow cooker recipe)

Inspiration: A recipe given to me by a woman at Williams-Sonoma trying to sell a non-stick bake pan.  AND yes, I bought the pan and loved it.  The Pumpkin Pecan bars slid right out of the pan even though I barely greased the pan making cleanup fast and easy.

Ingredients:                                                        Prep-time: 20 mins

1 box yellow cake mix                                                           Number of servings: 28+

3 large eggs                                                              Bake Time - 35-40 mins (or until golden brown)

2 tablespoons milk (I use organic skim)                   Oven Temp - 350

1/4 cup of sugar                                                     

1 tablespoon cinnamon (I use Simply Organic Brand)

1/2 cup melted butter (I use Smart Balance)

1 jar of pumpkin butter - 9.5oz. (I use Wegman's Brand - found in the peanut butter isle)

1 cup of finely diced pecans

1 tablespoon of flour (I use King Arthur Brand unbleached white whole wheat flour)

1/4 cup cold butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 9" by 13" pan.
3. Set aside one cup of the cake mix.
4. Combine the remaining cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter & 1 egg. Stir well until mixed.
5. Pour mix into greased pan and use back of large spoon to spread and press in the pan until the bottom of pan is evenly covered.
   
6. Finely chop pecans.
7. Whisk together the entire jar of pumpkin butter, pecans, 2 eggs and milk.
8. Pour over cake mix in pan.
9. Combine cake mix that was set aside with flour, cold butter, sugar and cinnamon.
10. Cut mixture together using pastry blender.
11. Crumble evenly over top of cake once thoroughly blended.
12. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. 
13. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Results:

These came out great!  Williams-Sonoma sells a jar of pumpkin butter that already contains pecans in it but it is $10 a jar.  Wegman's pumpkin butter is $4 and I personally think it tastes better with the fresh nuts.  I tried to start cutting the bars before they fully cooled.  Big mistake.  Once they cool they don't fall apart when you go to cut them. These are the perfect, filling desert on a cool fall evening.