Christmas Baking Recipes

For the Crust
3/4 cup butter or margarine — softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-3/4 cups flour

For the Filling:
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam or apricot preserve
2 cups walnuts — finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips — divided

For crust: Beat butter and brown sugar in a small mixer bowl. Beat in flour. Press onto bottom of greased 13×9″ baking pan. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly
browned. Cool completely. For filling: Spread jam over crust. Combine walnuts and sugar in small bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons for topping.
Beat eggs until light in large mixer bowl. Beat in remaining walnut mixture, flour and vanilla. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips. Pour over crust.
Bake for 20-25 min. or until top is set. Immediately sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over top. Let stand for 5 minutes, until chips are shiny. Spread. Sprinkle with reserved walnut mixture. Cool; chill for 10 min. to set chocolate. Cut into 2″x1″ bars.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or grated peel of one orange
3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Spread dough into greased 15 x 10 inch pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until very lightly browned.

for the bars:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanuts, chopped

for the frosting:
4 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Stir in unsweetened baking cocoa and cook over low heat. Remove from heat and add eggs; one at a time, beating after each egg. Stir in sugar, flour, vanilla, and chopped peanuts, beating till combined. Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: In a small saucepan, warm milk. Do not boil. Set aside. In a small bowl, blend chunky peanut butter with 2 tablespoons butter; add powdered sugar and warm milk. Slowly beat frosting until it reaches spreading consistency.

Makes about 24