Bars & Squares

[Kitchen Witch]

Candy-Bar Bars
Makes 36 servings


* Nonstick cooking spray or shortening
* 1 2-layer-size package German or milk chocolate cake mix
* 1 5-ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
* 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
* 1 cup chopped nuts
* 3 2.6-ounce chocolate covered peanut-caramel-nougat bars or 6 chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, chopped




1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Lightly coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In a large mixing bowl beat together cake mix, milk, and butter until well mixed. Stir chopped nuts into the beaten mixture.

2. Spread half of the mixture into prepared pan. Bake in the 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped candy. Drop remaining cake mixture by teaspoons over all. Bake about 15 minutes more or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into rectangles. Makes 36 servings.

[Kitchen Witch]

PEANUT BUTTER MISSISSIPPI MUD BARS

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided into two 4-ounce portions
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided into two 4-ounce portions
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted and divided into two 1/2 cup portions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter baking pan, line it with aluminum foil, and butter the foil.

Put butter and sugar in a large bowl and blend until smooth using electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in peanut butter until smooth.

Stir egg and vanilla together in a bowl and add to peanut butter mixture until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and combine well. Stir in 1 portion each of white and semisweet chocolates and combine. Add 1 portion of pecans and mix until combined.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until center is soft but no longer runny. Remove pan from oven and immediately sprinkle remaining white and semisweet chocolates over top. Cover pan with aluminum foil and set aside to let chocolates melt.

When melted, swirl chocolates together with tip of a sharp knife to make a marble-ized effect. Sprinkle remaining pecans over top. Let bars cool completely in pan on a wire rack. To serve, cut into 2-inch squares and arrange on a serving plate. Note: These are great right out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. If you are giving them as cookies, you might want to cut the bars smaller, since these are incredibly rich. Also, for neater cookies, refrigerate the pan for a few hours before cutting into bars.

[Kitchen Witch]

KENTUCKY BOURBON CREAM BARS

2 sticks butter plus 3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups ground graham crackers
1 box confectioners sugar
1/4 cup Bourbon
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line 9" square pan with wax paper. Melt 1 stick of butter in pan on low heat, stir in 1/4 cup sugar and cocoa until dissolved. Remove pan from heat, let cool about 5 minutes. Stir 1/4 cup cooled mixture into beaten egg, then add egg mixture into back into pan. Return to low heat. Stir in vanilla and graham crackers, mixing thoroughly. Remove from heat and press mixture into pan. Put in refrigerator to chill. Cream 1 stick butter and 1 box confectioners sugar. Mix Bourbon into mixture a little at a time until it becomes a thick cream. Stir in pecans then spread over chilled mixture. Put back into refrigerator to chill. Melt chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in double boiler. Pour over slightly chilled mixture. Chill pan over night. Cut into bars and serve.

[ladyseville]

Malted Milk Squares

Chocolate Base:
3/4 cup butter
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Malted Milk Topping:
3/4 cup malted milk powder
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups malted milk balls, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. In a heavy 1 quart saucepan, melt butter with chocolate over low heat. With wooden spoon stir in sugar and vanilla, then stir in eggs until well mixed. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, stir in chocolate mixture until blended. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Remove from oven. Cool completely on wire rack.

Prepare Malted Milk Topping:
In a small bowl, mix malted milk powder, milk and vanilla until well mixed. Stir in butter and powdered sugar until blended. With a small metal spatula, spread topping over cooled bars, top with chopped malted milk balls. Cut into squares and serve.

[ladyseville]

Strawberry Cream Squares

2 3 ounce packages strawberry jello
2 10 ounce packages of frozen strawberries
1 13 1/2 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
2 large bananas
1 cup sour cream

Dissolve 2 3 ounce packages of strawberry jello in 2 cups boiling water.

Add 2 10 ounce packages of frozen strawberries. Stir until thawed.

Add 1 13 1/2 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained.

Add 2 large ripe bananas, finely diced. Pour 1/2 mixture into 8 x 8 pan, chill to firm.

Add at least 1 cup of sour cream on chilled jello.

Pour remaining jello over sour cream.

[Kitchen Witch]

Coffee Pecan Chews

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant coffee
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup melted margarine (butter makes the bars less chewy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Sift flour and instant coffee, set aside.
Beat eggs until foamy, gradually add sugar, beating until stiff. Stir in melted margarine and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add nuts. Pour into greased and floured 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan, then cut into squares.

[Kitchen Witch]

Chocolate Graham Cookie Bars


12 double chocolate graham crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 package milk chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, chopped

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* Line a cookie sheet with foil.
* Place graham crackers on foil.
* In a saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar.
* Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. (It should become thick)
* Pour over crackers and spread evenly.
* Bake 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn.
* Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips & chipped pecans evenly over the top.
* Cut into squares while still warm.
* A fun variation: Add ½ cup coconut to toppings after baking.

[Kitchen Witch]

Fruit Bars

2 cups sugar
¾ cup shortening
3 eggs
½ cup honey
3 TBS molasses
4 ½ cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup coconut
1 ¼ cup chopped dates
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup rolled oats


* Cream sugar and shortening together, beat in eggs.
* Stir in honey and molasses.
* Sift dry ingredients and add slowly along with remaining ingredients.
* Knead with hands to blend ingredients, adding a little water is the mixture is too dry to form into rolls.
* Shape dough into rolls 2 inches in diameter and arrange on a greased cookie sheet.
* Slightly flatten rolls with fingers.
* Bake at 375 ° for 10 minutes or until golden brown and test done with a toothpick.
* Cut crosswise with a pizza cutter while still warm.
* Glaze with icing.


Frosting Glaze for Fruit Bars:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 TBS white corn syrup
1 ½ cup confectioners sugar

* In a small sauce pan stir together sugar, water and corn syrup.
* Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils.
* Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
* Gradually stir in confectioners sugar beating until smoothe after each addition.
* Mixture should have a syrupy consistency.


Make 3 dozen large bars or 6 dozen small.

[Kitchen Witch]

SOUR CREAM RAISIN BARS

2 cups raisins
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1¾ cups flour
1¾ cups oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tbsps. cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar

Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add flour, oatmeal and soda; mix until crumbly. Press 2/3's of batter into a 9x13" pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, sour cream and sugar; cook over low heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Add raisins and vanilla; remove from heat and pour over crust. Sprinkle rest of batter on top. Bake additional 35 minutes.

[Southern Belle 2067]

Creamy Lemon Squares

20 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold margarine
1 pkg. (8-oz) Neufchatel cheese
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup baking powder
2 tsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350*F

Line 8-in. square baking dish with foil, set aside. Combine water and crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. cut in margarine with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press into bottom of baking dish. Bake 15 minutes

Beat Neufchatel cheese and sugar with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. of the lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely. cover and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon zest. Cut into squares.

[SeansMom]

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY BARS

1 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries without stems
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter melted
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 6 ounce pkg (1 cup) semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Drain Cherries, reserving 1/3 cup juice. Place cherries in food processor bowl and chop till coarsely chopped.

Combine sugar, butter, unsweetened chocolate, and vanilla in a med. bowl. Add eggs; beat for 1 minute at med speed. Stir together flour, baking powder, and dash of salt. Add to chocolate mixture alternately with milk. Mixing well after each addition. Spread Batter in a greased and floured 15x10x1" baking pan. Sprinkle with chopped cherries.

Combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk in small heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in reserved cherry juice. Use a spoon to drizzle evenly over batter. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Spray a thin knife with nonstick spray coating; wipe off excess. Use knife to cut chocolate mixture into squares.

* Refrigerate for ease of cutting, but not a must.

[Kitchen Witch]

PUMPKIN BARS 2

3/4 c miracle whip salad dressing

1 2 layer spice cake mix

1 16 oz can pumpkin

3 eggs

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl at medium speed until well blended. Pour into a greased 15X10 pan. Bake at 350 for 18-20 min. Cool. Frost as desired or serve with whipped cream dollops.

[Kitchen Witch]

WHOLE GRAIN JAM SQUARES

2 Cups Quaker Oats (Quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon soda

3/4 cup preserves

Combine all ingredients except preserves in large mixing bowl; beat at low speed on electric mixer until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 2 cups mixture; press remaining onto bottom of greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Spread preserves

evenly over base; sprinkle with reserved mixture. Bake in preheated hot oven (400 degrees F)25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into squares.

Makes 13 X 9-inch pan of squares.

VARIATION: Omit nuts in oat mixture; add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves to oat mixture. Substitute combined 1 cup applesauce, 3/4 cup raisons and 1/2 cup nuts for preserves.

[ladyseville]

Salted Peanut Chews

Crust:

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2/3 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 C. margarine or butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
2 egg yolks
3 C. miniature marshmallows

Topping:

2/3 C. corn syrup
1/4 C. margarine or butter
2 t. vanilla
1 (10-ounce) package peanut butter chips
2 C. crisp rice cereal
2 C. salted peanuts

Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients except marshmallows at low speed until crumbly. Press firmly into bottom of ungreased 13-by-9-inch pan. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Remove crust from oven. Immediately sprinkle with marshmallows.

Return to oven; bake an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping.

In large saucepan, combine all topping ingredients except cereal and peanuts. Heat just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm. Cut into bars.

Yield: 36 bars.

Recipe developed by Gertrude M. Schweitzerhof of Cupertino, Calif., for the 29th Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1980.

[ladyseville]

Date Sticks

1 C. chopped dates
1 C. chopped nuts
1 C. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 C. sugar
3 eggs, beaten separately
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt

Mix dates and nuts with sugar and then with flour into which the baking powder and salt have been sifted. Add egg yolks, beaten and vanilla and beaten egg whites last of all.

Spread thinly on a well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 300° F., about 30 minutes.

Cut into sticks when cool and roll in powdered sugar.

[ladyseville]

Pecan Pie Bars

2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1/8 t. salt
3/4 C. butter or margarine, cut up
1 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1 C. light corn syrup
1/2 C. butter or margarine
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 C. finely chopped pecans
1 t. vanilla extract

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl; cut in 3/4 cup butter thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture resembles very fine crumbs.

Press mixture evenly into a greased 13" x 9" pan, using a piece of plastic wrap to press crumb mixture firmly in pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently.

Remove from heat.

Stir one-fourth of hot mixture into beaten eggs; add to remaining hot mixture.

Stir in pecans and vanilla.

Pour filling over crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 34 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Cut into bars.

Yield 16 large "delicious" bars

[ladyseville]

Chocolate Almond Truffle Bars

4 1/4 C. sliced almonds
1 lb. butter cut into pieces, plus 2 T. melted
1 lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (3 C. semisweet morsels)
4 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
1 C. granulated sugar
3 C. confectioners' sugar
1 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 325° F.

Toast sliced almonds on a shallow baking sheet until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Measure 23/4 cups into one bowl, and chop them fine (20 seconds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or by hand). Place in a 3-quart mixer bowl. Chop the remaining almonds fine and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons melted butter to the almonds in the mixing bowl. Mix by hand until the almonds bind together. Transfer nuts to a 9-by-13-inch, non-stick (or greased) baking pan. Press the almond mixture firmly onto the bottom of the pan and into the corners, creating an even layer. Set aside.

Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. With the heat on, place the semisweet chocolate and 1/2 pound of butter in the top half of the double boiler. Use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and butter until completely melted and smooth, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Place the eggs, egg yolks and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Scrape the bowl several times during beating. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix on low speed for about a minute, then use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until thoroughly combined.

Pour the batter over the almond mixture in the baking pan. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean (a scant amount of batter will adhere to the toothpick). Remove from the oven and cool 1 hour, then place in the freezer.

To make the icing: Place 1/2 pound butter in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium until light, about 4 minutes. Operate the mixer on low speed while slowly adding the confectioners' sugar. Beat until the sugar is mixed in, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla and beat on high for 1 minute. Remove 2 cups of icing from the bowl and set aside.

Remove the chocolate truffle mixture from the freezer (it should be in there at least 20 minutes). The top will be a little brittle and the insides very soft and tender. Use the icing that remains in the mixing bowl to spread over the top of the truffle mixture as a "crumb coat." This will keep the crackly crumbs from getting into your almond icing. Put the reserved 2 cups of icing back into the mixing bowl, add reserved almonds and beat 1 minute -- the mixture should be fluffy. Spread the almond icing over the crumb coat.

Use a serrated knife to cut the bars into 24 2-inch squares, then cut the squares in half to make 48 bars. (They are easier to cut if you heat the blade of the knife under hot running water and wipe the blade dry before making each cut.)

Makes 4 dozen

[ladyseville]

Double Decker Pecan Squares

Bottom:
1/2 C. pecan pieces finely chopped
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. cocoa
1/2 C. butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 egg

Top:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. sour cream
1/3 C. sugar
1 egg
2 T. milk or cream
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. pecan pieces

Heat oven to 325° F.

Toast pecans in the oven for 10 minutes or until they smell toasty. Chop them fine.

To make the bottom layer, combine flour, sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl. Add butter and use 2 knives or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the cocoa mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the pecans. Add egg and stir to blend. Press the mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the top layer, beat cream cheese with sour cream and sugar until the mixture is creamy and evenly mixed, scraping the bowl several times as you beat. Add egg and beat briefly to mix. Add milk and flour and beat again to combine evenly. Spread on baked crust in pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Cool, chill thoroughly and cut in squares.

Makes 16 squares

[ladyseville]

Raspberry Chocolate Triangles

1 1/2 C. Flour
3/4 C. Sugar
1 C. Butter Softened
1 Package ( 10 oz. ) Frozen Sweetened Raspberries Thawed and Drained
1/4 C. Orange Juice
1 T. Corn Starch
3/4 C. Miniature Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Vanilla Milk Chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix in a medium bowl flour, sugar and butter. Press in a ungreased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Then mix in a one quart sauce pan drained raspberries, orange juice, and corn starch. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir one more minute then cool 10 minutes.

Sprinkle over crust the chocolate chips and spoon raspberry mixture over the chocolate chips; spread carefully. Bake about 20 minutes or until the raspberry mixture is set.

Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Drizzle with melted vanilla chips if desired, cut into 3 inch squares. Cut each square into 4 triangles.

These are 2 die 4..........

[ladyseville]

Raspberry Chocolate Butter Cream Bars

Base:

4 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
1/2 C. butter or margarin