CARAMEL BARS

CARAMEL BARS

From Buzzy Evans
2017

64 wrapped caramels (Kraft)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl. Milk
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt caramels in milk, set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, soda, salt and butter together.
Press half of mixture into 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts evenly over baked crust.
Drizzle with caramel mixture
Top with remaining crust mixture.  Bake 10-15 minutes longer.

Makes 5 dozen

Chocolate Scotcheroos

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
Combine sugar and corn syrup in large saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly to melt sugar, just until mixture comes to boil.  Remove from heat.

Blend in 1 cup peanut butter
Stir in 6 cups Rice Krispies
Press into a 9x13 pan.

Melt together:
1 6-oz pkg chocolate chips
1 6-oz pkg butterscotch chips
Spread over top of bars.

Lemon Bars

Heat oven to 350.

2 c flour
1 c butter
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
Mix together until crumbly.  Pat mixture into a 9x13 pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Mix the following ingredients and pour it over the cooled baked crust.
4 eggs, beaten
2 c sugar
4 Tbl flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 Tbl lemon juice

Bake for 30 minutes more. Cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 24 bars.

Sophie's PopTarts (Raspberry Linzer Bars)

Sophia Evans gets credit for these because she loves to make them and eat them.
They taste like the best PopTarts ever.  Raspberry jam is a favorite, but any flavor would work.

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbl sugar
1/2 tsp 1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl) butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup raspberry jam
Raw sugar

Whisk first 4 ingredients together.  Add cold butter and rub in with your fingers until course crumbs form.  Beat 1 egg in small bow; add to flour mixture.  Stir until dough forms.  Divide in half.

Working with one half at a time, roll out dough between 2 sheets parchment to 12"x10"rectangles.
Transfer to baking sheet and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove top paper from first dough rectangle, invert onto a baking sheet.  Remove remaining paper.
Spread jam in an even layer over dough.
Remove paper from second dough sheet and invert, placing on top of dough covered with jam.
Remove remaining paper.  Press lightly from center of dough out toward edges to release any air pockets.  Press edges to seal.  Trim edges a bit to even them out if you desire.
Brush top with remaining beaten egg.  Prick dough several times with a fork.  Sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake until crust is light golden, about 25 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack. Trim edges.  Cut into bars.

Cherry Jamboree

From Shirley Evans
Makes 9 2-1/2 inch squares

CRUST
1 c. AP flour
1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans
1/3 c. unsalted butter, melted

CREAM CHEESE FILLING
1/2 lb. cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 c. heavy cream

TOPPING
21-oz. can cherry pie filling

GARNISH
sweet vanilla whipped cream
toasted pecan halves

NOTE: To toast the pecans, place on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To make the crust: In a small bowl, combine flour, pecans and butter. Press firmly into the bottom of an ungreased 8 x8-inch glass baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat well. In a separate small bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
When the crust has cooled, spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the crust using a rubber spatula. Spread the cherry pie filling on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and the pecan halves.

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

From Loretta Sniksberg
Posted by Shirley Evans

2 pkg. graham crackers
2 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
2 1/2 c. cold milk
1 8-oz. cool whip
1 can chocolate frosting

Make pudding according to directions. Line 9 x 13 pan with crackers-break into half pieces. Mix prepared pudding with cool whip and spread over crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers. Spread chocolate frosting over top. Chill and serve.

Apple Bars

From Shirley Evans

This recipe is from Mary Chalmers in Willmar.

Crust:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 c. crisco

Mix with a pastry blender or fork until the crust forms pea-sized lumps. (Or use 2 premade pie crusts.)

Filling:
1 egg, separated
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. crushed corn flakes
5 c. sliced apples
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. hot water
drop of almond extract

Put egg yolk in a cup and reserve egg white. Add milk to yolk and stir. Add to the pie crust dough. Mix as little as possible to make a soft ball.

Roll half of the ball to fit a 15x11-inch shallow pan. Sprinkle crushed cornflakes over dough in pan. Put apples over strust top with sugar and cinnamon. Roll out remaining dough for top crust. Pinch edges together. Beat the reserved egg white until stiff and spread on the top crust.

Bake at 375 degrees about 40 minutes.

Mix powdered sugar, water and almond extract to make glaze.

When the bars are done and still hot, drizzle with glaze.

To make this Joe-safe, use dairy-free milk.

Nut Goodie Bars

From Shirley Evans
 Makes 2 dozen ( 1x3" ) bars
Tastes like the Pearson's Nut Goodie Candy Bar

1-1/2 lbs milk chocolate
1 square (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
1 box (3.4 oz) regular vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1-1/4 tsp maple flavoring
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 pound Virginia salted peanuts

To prepare pan, carefully cover inside of 10 x 15" pan with aluminum foil and gently press in place, covering bottom and sides of pan. Lightly butter foil. Set aside.

To prepare bars: Melt milk chocolate and unsweetened chocolate. Spread a small amount of the chocolate to cover bottom of jellyroll pan. Put pan in freezer.

To prepare filling: In small saucepan, combine butter, pudding mix and milk. Bring to boil. Keep stirring. Don't worry if it gets a little lumpy or curdly. Keep stirring. Remove from heat.
Set aside to cool slightly. Then pour mixture into large bowl. Using electric mixer on low speed, beat in maple flavoring. Slowly add powdered sugar. Continue beating until combined and no lumps remain. Spread mixture over chocolate layer in jellyroll pan. Refrigerate till firmj.

To finish bars: Stir salted peanuts into remaining chocolate mixture. Mix well. Spread evenly over filling.

To cool bars: Refrigerate until firm. Cut into 1x3" bars or smaller for a pretty cookie tray.

Eclair Dessert

From Shirley Evans
Makes 8 to 12 servings

This is what we used to make when we wanted to make a fancy dessert with instant ingredients.
It is easy to make but it requires a 24 hour rest in the refrigerator for the graham crackers to soften. It isn't exactly better the next day---it just isn't right the first day.

2 small pkgs instant vanilla or french vanilla pudding
2 1/2 c. cold milk
1 - 8oz container of cool whip (thawed)
1 can chocolate frosting
1 box graham crackers (use as many as you need)

Make pudding according to directions. Line a 9x13 pan with graham crackers.the pan. Mix the prepared pudding with the cool whip and spread over the crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers. Spread choc frosting over the top. Cover with wrap and refrig 24 hours until graham crackers are very soft. It tastes like chocolate eclairs.

Carrot Bars

From Shirley Evans
A family favorite, originally from Bev Knight in Willmar, MN

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 c. flour
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
10 oz. baby food carrots

Beat the eggs, sugar and oil well. Stir in the flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Add baby food. Stir well. Bake at 350 degrees in a 9 x 13 pan for 30 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting (below).

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients together well.

To make Joe-safe, mix up a dairy-free frosting or ditch the frosting and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Buttery Lemon Bars

From Shirley Evans
Makes about 20

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 1/3 c. AP flour
4 eggs
2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
6 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. baking powder
powdered sugar

In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until creamy; beat in 2 cups of the flour, blending thoroughly. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of well-greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until mixture is thick and lemon colored. Add lemon peel, lemon juice, remaining 1/3 cup flour and baking powder. Beat until smooth and well combined. (A froth on top of liquid is perfect!)

Pour lemon mixture over baked crust and return to oven; bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until top is pale golden. Place on a rack to cool; while still warm, sift powdered sugar lightly over top. To serve, cut into bars about 2 squares. Store airtight.

To make Joe-safe, use dairy-free butter.

7 Layer Bars

From Shirley Evans

1 stick butter, melted
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. coconut
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Layer in a 9 by 13 pan in the order listed. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.