Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

First off, my photography is horrible and the pumpkin bars look much yummier than this photo depicts!

I had a get together this afternoon and wanted to bring something festive on which to snack. I remember that a HS friend of mine had a recipe on her blog for pumpkin chocolate chip bars. I looked up the recipe she used and it called for 2 sticks (2 sticks?!?!!) of butter. I kept looking for another recipe that was a little bit healthier. I stumbled on to this little diddy. Here's the really ironic part - the healthier recipe is actually from Paula Deen. Who'd have thunk it?!?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

adapted by Erin from Paula Deen

4 eggs

1 2/3 c sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil

1/2 c applesauce

1 15-oz can pumpkin

1 t vanilla

2 c all-purpose flour, sifted

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 t cinnamon

1/4 t ground ginger

1/4 t ground nutmeg

1 11.5-oz bag of milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer, combine eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. On low speed, slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients. Mix until just blended. Using a spatula, fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out with just a few crumbs.