Chunky Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Filling:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.

For Crust
BEAT flour, butter and brown sugar in a small mixer bowl until crumbly. Press into prepared baking pan.

BAKE for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

For Filling
BEAT eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl with wire whisk. Stir in chunks and nuts. Pour evenly over baked crust.

BAKE for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.


A new favorite!

Cookies

During the last couple weeks, I've been in a cookie baking mode. For starters, there was chocolate chip cookies, the dough of which is nearly unrivaled when eaten raw:

Oh, and I bake nearly all my cookies on stoneware. They make the perfect cookie! I'm sure there are other pans that do a good job, too, but I've been so content with my stoneware that I haven't tried anything else.

These are a new recipe- cappuccino crinkles (recipe to follow). Lovely!

And then another old favorite, snickerdoodles. Talk about cinnamon buttery bliss!

~Cappuccino Crinkles~

1/3 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 T. instant coffee crystals

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon (I used about 1/2 tsp)

2 egg whites

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, cocoa, coffee crystals, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping bowl if needed.

2. Beat in egg whites and yogurt till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to stir in remaining flour if needed.

3. Place sugar in a small bowl. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons into the sugar and roll into balls. Roll in sugar again. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

It doesn't get much better than this!

You are looking at my very favorite dark chocolate. I was the happy recipient of many varieties of chocolate this holiday season (Pear Caramel anyone?) but I must say I nearly went into ecstatics when a dear friend gave me this favorite. You can find it at Wal-Mart, where I first discovered it, although it is a little pricey. (Lately I've found it at Big Lots over 50% off!)
The flavor and crunch-oh my. You have to try it yourself. I couldn't keep my guilty little secret all to myself!