These are sooo good! Made them at Christmas and everyone loved them. Cut them in small pieces and there's plenty!

Here is a link that might be useful: Caramel Pecan Bars

Here are three suggestions. The Texas cookies can be made in a cookie sheet.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Base
1/2 flour
3/4 cup rice krispies cereal
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter melted

Toffee Layer

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c butter
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips semi sweet
1 1/4 cup Rice Krispies cereal .
.
Combine all the ingredients for the base and press into an 8 inch
square pan. Bake in a 350F oven for 10 minutes.

While base is baking make the toffee layer.

In a heavy saucepan combine the condensed milk with the 1/2 cup of
butter and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and
simmer for 5 minutes. Keep stirring as this mixture burns easily.

Pour toffee over the base.

Melt chocolate chips and stir in the 1 1/4 cups of rice Krispies.
Stir to coat well. Use two forks to spread evenly over the toffee
layer. Chill and cut into squares.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Graham Cracker Chewies
======================
These are amazingly good and simple to make. They are a nice alternative to brownies.

Recipe from the Nantucket Open House Cookbook.

Crust

1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Topping

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs beaten
. Preheat oven to 350°

Prepare the crust:
Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and flour in a mixing bowl
until moist and crumbly. Press the mixture firmly and evenly in the
bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake until lightly browned,
about 20 minutes.

Prepare topping:
Stir all the ingredients together until blended. Spread the topping
over the baked crust and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely,
then cut into 16 squares.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Texas Cookies
=============
adapted from one of Lee Bailey's recipes.

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups pecans (halves or chopped)
chocolate chips
. Preheat the oven to 350

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar and beat in the eggs, one at a
time. Add the vanilla.

Add the flour, a little at the time. When well mixed, spread on a very
well oiled jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with pecans and cover with
chocolate chips. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are
almost set. Do not over bake.

Remove from oven and let sit to cool. Cut into squares while still
warm. When cool, remove from pan.

NOTE: The original recipe does not use Chocolate Chips and uses
chopped pecans.

I like to use pecan halfs and lots of chocolate chips.

This is not the quickest 'bar' recipe you'll ever make, but I promise you it will be one of the most delicious you'll ever put in your mouth! I've been making it for 15 or 20 years, and the requests for it still never stop coming. A winner in one of the early Pillsbury Bake-Offs.

SUPER BARS

60 pieces light caramel candy (the little cubes that are individually wrapped in cellophane), unwrapped **
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, plus more for greasing dish
2 T. flour
5/6 cup evaporated milk, divided
1 package German Chocolate cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips

** That's the only hard part -- unwrapping those little boogers. lol Once they taste these, you'll probably be able to bribe some of your peoples to do the unwrapping for you. :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9"x13" glass baking dish, tapping sides of dish to knock off excess flour.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter with cake mix, chopped nuts and 1/3 cup Pet milk. Stir well by hand until all traces of the powdered cake mix are incorporated and a fairly stiff dough is formed.

Press half the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. (You'll have to spread it with your hands. It will be a very thin layer, but do be sure it's 'solid', even if you have to use a little more than half.) Bake for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 1/2 cup Pet milk to saucepan along with caramels. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until candy has melted completely. (Towards the end, I stir constantly.)

Drizzle half the caramel sauce over baked crust. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over all. (Try to 'fill in the blanks' the second time so that caramel covers as much surface as possible.)

Cover top of dish with remaining cake mix dough. (After trying many methods, the one that works best for me is to take a tablespoon or two of the dough and form a small patty -- just like making a hamburger, only press it between your palms to make it very thin. Scatter these patties over the dish, covering as much area as you can.)

Return to the oven and bake an additional 18 to 20 minutes, until dough is cooked. Cool slightly, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow mixture to harden somewhat. When chilled, cut into small squares. (If they don't cut cleanly, refrigerate another 5 to 10 minutes and then try again.)

Store at room temperature in a tightly-sealed container.

This takes a little more effort than most, but I think you'll agree that the results were worth every minute of your time!

sm

These are sooo good - they are made in a sheet pan and feed a crowd - they make 49 bars.

Pumpkin Spice Bars

4 Large Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 can (15 ounces) Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
! Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Cup Raisins, if desired
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts, if desired

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening. In large bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Stir in raisins. Spread in pan.
2. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Spread frosting over bars. Sprinkle with walnuts. For bars, cut into 7 rows by 7 rows. Store in refrigerator.

5 Star Bars

2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix together and bake in a 9x9 pan for 15 minutes at 350'.
Topping
4 Aero bars (no substitutes)
4 Tbsp. margarine
Melt together and spread over top of bars. Let cool, slice and serve. Delicious!

These are good AND good for you..... -Grainlady

APRICOT-OATMEAL BARS

1-1/2 c. whole wheat flour (you can also use spelt, kamut, triticale or use 1-cup all-purpose flour and 1/2-cup whole wheat or other flour, I've also used rye for part of the flour)
2 T. flaxmeal
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt (can omit)
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. plain non-fat yogurt (I use drained homemade kefir)
1/3 c. water
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg white, beaten
1 c. quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 c. dried apricots, chopped *
1/2 c. raisins (I like to use golden raisins)
1/2-1 cup walnuts (optional)

Glaze: 3/4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 T. orange juice or skim milk

To make fruit bars: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour/s, baking soda and cinnamon.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, yogurt, water, molasses, oil and egg white. Mix yogurt mixture into flour mixture. Stir in oats, apricots and raisins. Spread STIFF batter into baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.

To make glaze: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and enough orange juice or milk to make it drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bars.

Makes 24 one-bar servings.

* Note: Dried apricots are easy to "chop" with a pair of kitchen scissors.

How about Woodies Apricot Almond bars? They were a winner for my little guy....

Alexa

Here are some of my favorites:

Blondies Mothers recipe, oven at 350 for 40-45 min., 9x13 pan grease, flour

2/3c butter 1 t. baking powder
2c brown sugar 1/4t. baking soda
2 eggs, beaten 1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla 1 c chopped nuts
2 c flour 1 6oz pkg. chocolate chips

Melt butter in saucepan, remove from heat, stir in sugar, mixing well. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients together, then add to butter/sugar.
Mix in nuts. Turn into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle w/ chips. Bake at 350 for
40-45 minutes. Cover and cool in pan. Cut into 24 bars.

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies 9x13 pan, 375 oven for 12 to 14 minutes

1 c plus 2 TB flour 1 6oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1/2t baking soda 1/2c nuts
1/2t salt 1/3c sugar
1 stick butter, soft 1/3c brown sugar
1/2t vanilla
1 egg

Combine flour, soda, salt. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla, then egg. Beat. Stir in dry ingredients, then add chips and nuts. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Cut into 24 squares.

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

1/2c peanut butter 1 c flour
1/3c soft butter 1 t baking powder
3/4c brown sugar ¼ t salt
1/4c sugar 1 c chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 t vanilla

Cream together peanut butter, butter, and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well.
Combine dry ingredients, then blend into creamed mixture. Spread in a greased
9x13 pan. Sprinkle on chips. Bake at 350 for 5 min. Remove from oven and run knife through to marbleize. Return to oven for 20-25 minutes. Cut into 24 bars.

Chocolate Scotcheroos from Mqmoi

1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup, and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter. Mix in the rice cereal until evenly coated. Press the mixture into the prepared pan.
In a glass bowl in the microwave, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips, stirring occasionally until smooth and well blended. Spread over the top of the bars. Chill until set, then cut into bars.

ha, ha, ha - I was going to submit my Lemon Drop recipe. But I see you didn't mean THAT kind of bar recipe.

The recipes above look wonderful. I may try the APRICOT-OATMEAL BARS this weekend.

ruddmd - I made a recipe of Apricot-Oatmeal Bars this morning using 1-cup of rye and 1/2-c. of all-purpose flour. I also used a whole egg, instead of an egg white. The eggs I have are kinda small and I needed the volume.

A little tip for getting that stiff batter in the pan. I wet an off-set stainless steel spatula with water and it makes spreading the batter out Q & E.

-Grainlady

Here are a couple of really good ones.

Lemon Curd Bars
Source: Midwest Living December 2006

1 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
2 c all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 10-12 oz jar lemon curd
2/3 c flaked coconut
½ c sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 375F.
In large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add flour and baking powder, beat until combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 2/3 cup of crumb mixture, and set aside. Press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of a 9x13 pan. Bake 5-8 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven, spread lemon curd over crust, to within ½ inc of edges of pan.

In bowl, mix reserved crumb mixture with coconut and almonds. Sprinkle over the lemon curd. Bake for 18-20 minutes more or until edges are golden and topping is browned.

Cool and cut into squares. Makes 32 bars.

One time, I had promised the chef at the restaurant where I worked that I would provide the lemon bars for a cater out job because I had sold them to the customer without realizing that the company he usually ordered them from needed more advanced notice to deliver on time.

So, I found a few recipes on the net, and printed them up on a word document to look through.

I liked two, one which sounded like the traditional lemon bar recipe I remembered from years ago, and another, which was a sort of a lemon cheesecake kind of bar.

I have no idea how I did this, I think a glass of wine or two and a short night's sleep the previous night were likely responsible...but somehow, I started with the cheesecake like recipe and transferred to the more traditional recipe about half way through...or maybe I went back and forth between them.

They were wonderful, the best lemon bars I'd ever had, and I have absolutely no idea how to make them again! :(

CARIBBEAN BARS

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup mashed banana
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. butterscotch morsels
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream butter or margarine with brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in mashed banana. Blend in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in butterscotch morsels and nuts. Spread in a greased 10x15-inch pan. Bake at 350° F. for 35 minutes. Cool and frost with a powdered sugar icing, if desired. Makes a large batch.
Posted at Mimis Cyber-Kitchen by SandyOH 01/09/2000.

PECAN PIE SURPRISE BARS

BASE:
1 pkg. yellow or butter-flavor cake mix (with pudding in mix)
1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 egg

FILLING:
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups dark corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 13x9-inch pan. Reserve 2/3 cup of the dry cake mix for filling. In large bowl, combine remaining dry cake mix, margarine, and 1 egg at low speed until well blended. Press in bottom of greased pan. Bake at 350° F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
In large bowl, combine reserved 2/3 cup dry cake mix, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and eggs at low speed until moistened. Beat 1 minute at medium speed or until well blended. Pour filling mixture over warm base; sprinkle with pecans. Bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 36 bars.

Many thanks to all who posted their wonderful recipes. Now the hard part,which to choose. It will be nice to have them all on file. I am sure that many others copied and pasted for their files also.
Lois

Don't remember who I got this recipe from but they are great

Lemon Ginger Bars
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind
1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon double acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Pre-bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter, add 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon of the rind, the crystallized ginger, the ground ginger, and a pinch of salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour in batches, a 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Beat the mixture until it is well combined. Spread the batter evenly in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake in the middle of the oven at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until browned lightly around the edges.
2 While the crust is baking, in a bowl whisk together the eggs, the granulated sugar, the lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon rind, 3 Tbsp of flour, and the baking powder. Whisk until well blended. Pour the lemon mixture over the pre-baked crust. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden. If you want, sift the remaining 3 Tbsp of powdered sugar over the top. Let the mixture cool in the pan on a rack. Cut it into 36 bars.
Makes 36 bars

Linda P

This is just one of Paula Dean's ooey gooey's that I have made.

Double Chocolate Ooey Gooey Butter Cake:
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Butter, for greasing pan, plus 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, melted, divided
1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
3 eggs, divided
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into serving pieces

What would any thread on bars be without Ginger's recipe for lemon bars! It's simply the best I have ever had.

LEMON BARS DELUXE
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 sticks butter
4 beaten eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350°.
Whisk together 2 cups of the flour & the confectioners' sugar.
Cut in the butter until the mixture clings together. Press the dough into a 13x9x2" baking dish.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar & lemon juice. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup flour with the baking powder; stir into the egg mixture & pour over the hot baked crust. Bake for 25 minutes longer. Remove from the oven & sprinkle w/confectioners' sugar. Cool. Cut into squares.~~

(giggling) When I logged on and saw this subject line, I thought, "oh, where's my recipe for the perfect pina colada?"

Oh - COOKIE bars. Well, I have two. One is for the chocolate chip cookie bar recipe that's on the back of the Nestle's chocolate chip bag. (YUM!) The other is my MIL's coconut bar recipe. I think I posted that in another thread not all that long ago.

DonnaR/CA

Although I've posted this one several times before, I'll add it because it really is a winner!

A lemon slice which can also be served as a dessert with a mound of whipped cream on the side of the plate.

LEMON GRAHAM SLICE

1 1/2 cups (350 mL) Graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 teasp (2 mL) baking powder
1/8 teasp (0.5 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter or margarine

10 oz (284 mL)sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) lemon juice
1 teasp (5 mL) vanilla

Bottom Layer

Crumble first 5 ingredients together well and pack into 9 x 9 inch (22 x 22 cm) ungreased pan. Set aside.

Top Layer

Combine milk, lemon juice and vanilla in bowl and stir. Spread over bottom layer. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into 36 squares.

Source: "Company's Coming" - 150 Delicious Squares
Jean Paré

My Note: As a dessert slice it into larger portions and serve with whipped cream.

SharonCb