Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

Friday was the official first day of fall and that can only mean one thing...it's time to start cooking with pumpkin!  Here is one of my favorite recipes from Martha Stewart: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (If you can't find pumpkin pie spice, substitute with 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg, allspice and cloves)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (this is not the same as pumpkin pie mix, the mix as the spices already in it)
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
4. Use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.