So I had the weirdest dream ever. If you could care less about my random mental thoughts when I sleep, go down to just before the recipe for a review. If you do care (AW THANKS), keep reading.
Quick preface: I have had lucid dreams before. I dream quite a bit. My dreams are usually vivid. But this one was particularly unusual.
I was home for the weekend and taking a nap. I quickly entered dream-mode. I was at my university, in the library. The usual dream sequence passed, but then something weird happened.
I started feeling sluggish, and everything got hazy. I had a feeling of paranoia. There was some subconscious idea that I was taking a nap, so I willed myself to wake up, and I thought I had, but the lethargy was still there. I left the library and ended up walking towards a bus stop. But the outside just made me even slower. There were patches in my vision, as if I was about to black out.
The sense of urgency increased. "Not now!" I thought in my dream, because I really needed to be at class. I fell on the asphalt of the road where I'd been walking. I urged myself to WAKE UP WAKE UP because now was not the time for tomfoolery. I pushed myself really hard to imagine the asphalt where I had fallen and could not get up (guess I could've used Life Alert - 0:30) as a bed, with the curve under me being the mattress and the tar under my head as a pillow.
And that was the weird part. In my dream, I willed myself to visualize myself in the bed in which I was sleeping in real life, and to urge myself to wake up, now! Slowly, the rough feel of the asphalt gave away to the comfort of the bed, and ... I woke up.
It was bizarre, and I was trying to interpret when the dream had turned into reality, but as far as I know, I somehow consciously in my dream made myself wake up. I mean, I have 2 hard exams coming up, but I didn't think I was that stressed. And how was I able to manipulate my dream like that?
So weird. I was super confused. And then annoyed at myself because I'd only slept 25 minutes, and there was nothing to do upon waking up besides eat.
At least these bars are good. The crust is a nice one. I added a little extra salt, which was a good idea. The crust and filling layers end up the same height. The filling is part pumpkin (with the typical spices) and part chocolate, from the cocoa. I have never seen this combination in this form, but it wasn't bad! I am not the hugest fan, but I still found myself continually eating them. I know it can be bothersome to wait till they're chilled before eating, but please, do it! They are better cold.
This is my first pumpkin post of the season! I love this squash, despite the nation's slight obsession with it. And I love custard-y fillings, especially with nice crusts - which is what this is. Try it out, among the slew of other pumpkin things you'll be trying!! Might just trump the Starbuck pumpkin spice latte, who knows.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Bars
from bakingbites.
note: I halved the recipe (used one XL egg and was fine) and made it in a round 9" cake pan. It came out kind of thin, but was still good.
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 tspn salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 15 oz. pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) - about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tspn ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tspn ground cloves
- 1/8 tspn nutmeg
- 1/2 tspn salt
- 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup milk (low-fat works fine)
- Make crust: Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and salt. Mix till crumbly. Press into a greased pie pan or small square pan. Bake 15 - 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling.
- Make filling: Whisk eggs till frothy. Add remaining ingredients, except for milk. Mix thoroughly. Add milk, and mix carefully so as to not add too many air bubbles.
- Pour filling onto hot crust, and bake another 20 - 25 minutes, until filling appears set.
- Remove from oven. Let cool completely, and then chill in the fridge before slicing and serving.
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