Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

In India, there is a beans called 'Avarekayi' (in kannada) that is in season during the month of January. I think this grows only in southern parts of India. People make breakfast out of it, lunch, snacks, dinner continuously since you cannot really get it after the season is over. Pumpkins here everywhere remind me of the same. At least you can use canned pumpkins all through the year and that is something to consider.
I have baked almost all the baked items using pumpkin - from bread to cake to cookies. Only thing that I have not baked is a pumpkin pie since no one is fond of that at home. Here is another addition to that pumpkin list - Pumpkin Bars with chocolate chips. They make a great snack. Not too sweet and not too rich either.

One year back - Two Cake Recipes, Apples to Applesauce to Applebutter
Two years back - Mango Mini Muffins
Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp or a big pinch
Oil - 1/4 Cup
Egg -1 large
Sour cream or yogurt - 1/2 cup
Pumpkin Puree - 1/2 cup
Vanilla - 1 tsp
Chocolate chips - 1/2 cup (I used mini)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F (325 F in my case since I was using a glass pan). Spray a 7 X 11 (See Notes) pan with vegetable oil spray. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, egg, sour cream and pumpkin puree. Add vanilla and whisk again. Add the wet ingredients to dry and stir until mixed well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on the rack in the pan and cut when completely cool.

Notes:
You can use a 8 X 8 pan too. Might have to bake the bars couple of minutes more. If you use 9 X 9, that works too. Makes not so big 24 bars but you can cut them into generous 16 or 18 pieces.

Enjoy.

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