Squares and Tarts



Seven Layer Bar - Sherry C., Alberta
csherry@telus.net

1/4 lb margarine
1 1/4 cup graham crumbs
1 cup coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk
1 cup of chopped/sliced nuts

Melt margarine and mix with crumbs. Press crumb mixture into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle coconut on top of crumbs. Spread chips on top of coconut. Pour milk on top of chips. Sprinkle nuts on top of milk.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until chips start to melt. Cut into squares after it is completely cooled.


Mom's Darn Good Bars :-) - from Avis B., North Dakota
abreding@bis.midco.net

Here is my rendition of Rice Krispies Bars.

3/4 c sugar
1/3 c honey
1/2 c corn syrup
1 c peanut butter

Bring to slow bubble, remove and pour over 5 cups mixed cereal.
I usually mixed Cheerios and Rice Krispies.
Mix well, spread in 8 X 13 pan.

Melt chocolate chips with butterscotch chips, spread over. Cool, cut and enjoy.


Easy Raspberry Brownies - from Carol S., New York
cselig1@excite.com

1 package (1 pound 3.8 ounces) fudge brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate (I use chocolate chips if I don't have, even though they are sweeter)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.
2. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended.
3. Spread in pan.
4. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick insertedcomes out clean or almost clean.
5. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.
6. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and preserves in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. (It works with just preserves too)
7. Spread over brownies.
8. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
9. Place chocolate and butter in small microwavable bowl.
10. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) about 1 minute or until mixture can be stirred smooth.
11. Drizzle over brownies.
12. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm.


Gingerbread - from Tammi P., New Jersey
tirp9999@yahoo.com

From my Weight Watchers collection - makes 32 servings- 1 POINT a serving!

1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix
1 16 oz. can solid pumpkin
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup water

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. orange extract
1 Tb. skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix with pumpkin and egg substitute for 3 minutes.
Pour batter in a 11 x 17 x 3/4 inch pan jelly roll pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake for 23 minutes.
When bars are cool and just prior to serving, frost bars with glaze. Glaze only the portion of bars that will be eaten, as the tops become rather sticky (but still good). Unfrosted bars can easily be frozen for later use.

Makes 32 bars (cut 8 the long way and 4 the short way)


Grammy's Brownies - from Nancy L., British Columbia
nelteach@mac.com

This is my mother's famous brownie recipe, which she got from a friend in the 1940's. It has been a mainstay of holiday and all-year-long treats in our family for over 60 years. It is a cinch to make, and the brownies do not need any frosting or extras to make them moist and delicious. As my mother always said, "They taste like 'more'!" I add walnuts to them, but she didn't - they taste terrific either way.

2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter. Add sugar, beat in eggs. Stir in flour until well mixed. Add vanilla and salt. Stir in nuts if desired. Grease and flour an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. Pour batter into pan and bake for approx. 28 minutes or until top looks firm and tester comes out clean. Don't overcook or they will be too dry and lose their decadent melt-in-your-mouth taste. Let cool 5 minutes, then score the outsides and cut into squares. Let cool slightly and then remove from pan. Cool completely on a rack.


Two Delicious Tart Recipes - and Shortbread Pastry - from Nancy L., British Columbia
nelteach@mac.com

A Christmas goodie tray would not be complete at my house without these two scrumptious mini tarts, both made in this decadent shortbread pastry. All come from the Best of Bridge cookbooks.

Shortbread Pastry
Use tiny muffin tins, approx. 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter. This will make about 3 dozen.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered or confectioner's sugar)
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Mix ingredients in mixmaster. Don't roll but pat into small tart/muffin tins with your fingers to form shell. Prick the bottoms with a fork. For lemon tarts (recipe below) bake shells unfilled, in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes. Prick bottoms again if the shells puff up. These may be made in large quantity and frozen. For butter tarts, fill before baking - see below.

Lemon Tarts
AKA Lemon Cheese Filling

2 eggs
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup sugar
Juice of 2 lemons and a bit of peel

Combine all ingredients in pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly for 15 minutes. Cover and cool in refrigerator. This filling will keep well in refrigerator for a long time. Only fill the tart shells as they are required.

Butter Tarts
These are exceptional! For these use the shortbread shells, or your own regular pastry recipe or frozen shells.

1 cup white sugar
1 cup seedless raisins
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup butter
4 Tbsp. cream or 'half & half'
1/2 cup chopped or broken walnuts

Beat eggs. Combine with remaining ingredients except nuts, and boil at medium heat for 3 minutes. Add nuts. Fill unbaked tart shells and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.


Toffee Squares - from Brenda M., Wisconsin
myerswb@tds.net

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 t. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4t. salt
6-8 Hershey bars
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Spread evenly into a jelly roll pan or 9 x 13 pan for thicker cookie. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Break up chocolate and put on cookie right from the oven. Wait two minutes then spsread. Sprinkle with nuts and cut when cool.


Chewy Noels - from Ruth P., Missouri
jhtur2002@yahoo.com

2 T. butter
1 C. brown sugar
5 T. flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1 c. pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in 9-inch square pan. Mix brown sugar, flour and soda in bowl; add eggs, pecans and vanilla.
Pour melted butter into mixture and mix well. Return mixture to pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cut into squares when cool. I usually write the word Noel on the top of each square with green frosting.


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