Witch Finger Bread Sticks

These bread sticks give "finger foods" a whole new meaning just in time for Halloween!

1 Package (1 scant Tablespoon) active dry yeast
1 C Warm Water (110-115 degrees F.)
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 C Flour
1 Egg White
1 Tbsp Water
Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in sugar, salt and oil.  Add 2 cups of the flour and beat until smooth.  Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough ( I use about 3/4 C).  Knead on a floured surface for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic (I use some of the additional flour from the 3rd cup to flour the surface). Spray bowl with nonstick cooking spray; place dough in bowl, turning to coat all surfaces with spray.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.  Punch dough down and divide into at least 12 pieces.  Roll each piece into a rope.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place bread sticks one inch apart on prepared sheet.  Let rise, uncovered, until double in size about 45 minutes.  Beat egg white with 1 Tbsp water.  Place almond slice on as decorative nail (for spooky effect) sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional) then brush egg wash over bread stick.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a large shallow pan filled with very hot water on the lowest rack of oven, and put baking sheet with bread sticks on the middle rack.  Bake bread sticks for about 10 minute, brush again with egg white and bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown.   Living at sea level I bake slightly shorter amount of time and slightly lower oven temperature.

Mickey Pumpkin Bars

Friends these pumpkin bars are so so good! There are so many things that I love about them but mostly I love that they are easy to make, stay fresh for days on end, feed a crowd, can be made well beforehand, are hard to mess up and are super moist and tasty! Our neighbor shared them in our Church Cookbook and they are just the best! They cut super smooth, which is oddly so satisfying, but also look at how fun it is when you use cookie cutters for them, making mickey and pumpkin shapes somehow makes them even more magical!

Pumpkin Bars:
4 Eggs
1 & 2/3 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Oil (the Costco olive oil works great, but so does just regular vegetable oil)
2 Cups canned pumpkin
2 Cups unbleached flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt (my mom has used regular salt and it works great too, if you do use sea salt make sure it's just fine sea salt you wouldn't want to use the coarse salt)

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin.  Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients just until nice and smooth, scraping sides - do not over beat.  Spray large cookie sheet with cookie spray and make sure to use a paper towel to get it up on the sides as well. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes (I'm more at sea level so I did more like 335 degrees for 22 minutes and it worked great).  Then Frost when cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 Cups powder sugar
3/4 Cup butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese
1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla.