Squash Bars

I love pumpkin and all her cousins.  This recipe can be made with canned pumpkin puree or with leftover steamed or baked and mashed squash.  Hubbard or banana make nice bars.  The frosting is a velvety burnt butter frosting.....heavenly!

Squash Bars
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. oil
1 c. steamed or baked and mashed squash
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)

Frosting:
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. milk
3-4 c. confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Bars: in a large bowl combine all ingredients except nuts, beat for 2 min. with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Stir in nuts.  Spread in a greased 10x15 bar pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 min. or until golden brown.  Frosting: Brown butter in a saucepan. (To do this, you heat over medium heat, the butter will melt, then bubble off the water, then begin to brown. Swirl it in the pan as it browns. You can tip the saucepan to see the color of the butter, and use your nose, it should smell warm and brown, but not smoky burnt.) Remove from heat; stir in milk, sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth, thinning with milk if necessary.  You can frost the bars while they are lukewarm.
Jenny