Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook Part 62

3 cups miniature marshmallows (pack them down in the cup)

1 and cups flaked coconut (pack it down in the cup

when you measure it)

1 cup chopped nuts (I use either pecans, or walnuts)

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)

Mix the white sugar, flour, salt, and cocoa together in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle the melted b.u.t.ter over the top of the bowl and mix it in with a fork. When the b.u.t.ter is incorporated, the mixture will resemble small beads. (You can also do this in the bowl of a food processor, using chunks of chilled b.u.t.ter and the steel blade.) Spray a 9 inch by 13 inch cake pan with Pam (or other nonstick cooking spray), and dump the crust mixture in the bottom. Gently shake the pan to distribute the mixture and then press it down a bit with a metal spatula.

Sprinkle the milk chocolate chips evenly over the crust layer. Sprinkle the marshmallows over that. Sprinkle the flaked coconut on next, and then sprinkle on the chopped nuts. Press everything down with the back of a metal spatula. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the very top as evenly as you can.

Bake the Ooey Gooey Chewy Cookie Bars at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bars are nicely browned on top.

Let the bars cool on a wire rack or on a cold stovetop burner. When they're cool, cut them into brownie-sized pieces.

WARNING: DON'T REFRIGERATE THESE COOKIE BARS WITHOUT CUTTING THEM FIRST THEY'RE VERY DENSE AND SOLID WHEN CHILLED.

A Note From Edna Ferguson, the Queen of "Cheat" recipes: If you want a shortcut for the crust, just buy a chocolate cake mix and use half of it dry, mixed with the melted stick of b.u.t.ter. Keep the rest of the cake mix in an airtight bag and you can use it for the next batch you bake.

Hannah's Note: Kids love the name of these cookie bars.

PINEAPPLE RIGHT-SIDE-UP COOKIE BARS.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Hannah's Note: This recipe has a crust you don't have to roll out. Don't you just love it?

cup frozen concentrated pineapple juice

1 can crushed pineapple (you'll be measuring it

AFTER you drain it)

1 cup softened b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

cup white (granulated) sugar

2 cups flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

4 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)

cup white (granulated) sugar (not a misprint you'll

use a total of 1 cup white sugar in this recipe)

1 teaspoon baking powder

teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons flour (that's cup don't sift)

Set the frozen concentrated pineapple juice out on the counter to thaw.

Dump the crushed pineapple into a strainer and let it drain while you make the crust.

Mix the cup of softened b.u.t.ter with cup white sugar until it's light and fluffy. Add the 2 cups of flour. Mix thoroughly.

Hannah's 1st Note: You can also do this in a food processor with cold b.u.t.ter cut into 1/2 inch chunks, and the steel blade. Just put the sugar in the bowl of your food processor, place the chunks of b.u.t.ter on top of the sugar, and cover the b.u.t.ter with the flour. Process with an on-and-off motion until the resulting mixture looks like coa.r.s.e sand.

Spread the mixture out in a greased 9-inch by 13-inch pan. (You can also spray the pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.) Shake the pan to spread out the mixture evenly, and then press it down with your impeccably clean hands.

Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until it's starting to turn golden around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven, but don't shut off the oven!

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the 4 beaten eggs with the second cup of white sugar. Stir in the cup of pineapple concentrate. (If it's not completely thawed, just spoon it into a half-cup measure, level it off, and stir it into your bowl.) Use the back of a spoon to press all the juice out of the drained pineapple in the strainer. When it's as juice-free as you can make it, measure out cup of crushed pineapple and add it to your bowl. Mix it in thoroughly.

Add the baking powder and the salt. Mix them in until they're thoroughly combined.

Stir in the 4 Tablespoons of flour. Mix it in thoroughly.

Hannah's 2nd Note: This mixture will be runny. Don't worry, it's supposed to be that way. It's like a baked custard and it will "set up" in the oven when the eggs cook.

Pour this mixture on top of the crust you just baked. Stick it back into the oven and bake it at 350 degrees F. for an additional 50 minutes.

When the baking time is up, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner. Once your pan of Pineapple Right-Side-Up Bars has cooled thoroughly, sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and refrigerate them until you want to serve them.

To serve, cut the pan of bars into brownie-sized pieces and arrange them on a pretty platter.

ROCKY ROAD BAR COOKIES (S'MORES) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

24 graham crackers (12 double ones)

2 cups miniature marshmallows (white, not colored)

6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1 cup salted cashews

cup b.u.t.ter (1 stick, 4 ounces pound)

cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract