by Joanne Fluke
Yield: 4 to 5 dozen yummy cookies, depending on cookie size.
“There sure are a lot of cookie recipes!” Alice said, paging through them. “Have you baked all of them, Hannah?”
“Every one. And Lisa and I have served all of them down at The Cookie Jar at one time or another.”
“I noticed that you serve different cookies almost every day,” Bertie pointed out.
“That’s right. We always bake at least ten kinds and that’s not counting the bar cookies.”
“But the bar cookies aren’t here,” Rose said, looking concerned. “I was looking for the Ooey Gooey Chewy Cookie Bar recipe.”
Hannah reached over and flipped Rose’s binder to the next section. “They’re right here,” she said. “You’re not going to serve them down at the cafe, are you?”
“Of course not!” Rose looked slightly affronted. “I’d never do that without your permission. You don’t serve cheeseburgers, and I won’t serve Ooey Gooey Chewy Cookie Bars. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“That’s the way I feel. When people want a roast beef sandwich and a slice of coconut cake, they come to you at the cafe. And when they want a Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookie or an Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie, they come to me.”
“That’s why Lake Eden’s such a good place to live,” Delores said. “We all look out for each other. And speaking of looking out, has anyone looked out the window lately? Rayne Phillips on KCOW was predicting another storm this morning.”
“I’ll check,” Lisa said, heading for the kitchen to take a peek out the door to the parking lot. She was back a minute later, rubbing her hands together. “It’s cold out there,” she reported. “The wind’s picked up and the snow is blowing across the parking lot. It’s not that bad, though.”
Delores looked relieved. “Good. Carrie and I have to go out to the hospital later to visit some patients.”
“Earl’s stopping by to pick me up in an hour,” Carrie said. “If the roads are bad, he’ll take us out there in the tow truck.”
“Perfect!” Delores exclaimed.
Hannah exchanged shocked glances with Andrea and Michelle. Earl’s tow truck had seen hard use this winter and it was far from the cleanest vehicle on the road. Their mother was dressed in a designer suit in a soft pale green material that was probably cashmere, and it would show even the tiniest speck of dirt. Their elegantly dressed mother had never ridden in a tow truck as far as Hannah knew, and Delores must have really wanted to get out to the hospital in order to agree to Carrie’s plan. Had their mother, who’d never been known for her charity work, experienced a change of heart now that she’d organized the Rainbow Ladies? Or was there another reason Delores went to the hospital almost every day?
Bar Cookies
APPLE ORCHARD BARS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
½ cup butter (1 stick, 4 ounces, ¼ pound)
½ cup white (granulated) sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
½ cup rolled oats (uncooked oatmeal – I used Quaker
Quick-1 Minute)
1 cup peeled chopped apple (I used 2 medium Gala apples,
cored, peeled, and seeded of course.)
2 cups flaked coconut
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (not sifted – pack it down in
the cup when you measure it)
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
Place the white sugar and the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir the mixture until it’s smooth.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix it in thoroughly.
Feel the bowl. If the mixture is not so hot it’ll cook the eggs, add them now. Mix well.
Add the rolled oats and the chopped apple. Mix thoroughly.
Measure out 1 and ½ cups ONLY of flaked coconut. Reserve the ½ cup that’s left over to sprinkle on top of your pan when you’re all through.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each cup.
Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan (or spray it with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray).
Spoon the dough into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Sprinkle the ½ cup coconut you reserved evenly on the top.
Bake the bars at 375 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Take the pan out of the oven, and let the bars cool in the pan, on a wire rack, or on a cold stovetop burner.
To serve, cut the Apple Orchard Bars into squares like brownies.
Hannah’s 1st Note: Bill likes these with hot chocolate – he says it brings out the taste of the apples.
Hannah’s 2nd Note: Tracey’s still trying to convince Andrea that these are health food and she should be allowed to have them for breakfast.
BLACK FOREST BROWNIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
4 one-ounce squares semi-sweet chocolate (or the equivalent
– ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips will do just fine)
¾ cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces)
1 and ½ cups white (granulated) sugar
3 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or cherry extract)
1 cup flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
½ cup pecans
½ cup dried cherries (OR ½ cup well drained
maraschino cherries)60
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
Prepare a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan by lining it with a piece of foil large enough to flap over the sides. Spray the foil-lined pan with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray.
Microwave the chocolate squares and butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl for one minute. Stir. (Since chocolate frequently maintains its shape even when its melted, you have to stir to make sure.) If it’s not melted, microwave for an additional 20 seconds and stir again. Repeat if necessary.
Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Feel the bowl. If it’s not so hot it’ll cook the eggs, add them now, stirring thoroughly. Mix in the flavor extract (vanilla or cherry.)
Mix in the flour and stir just until it’s moistened.
Put the pecans and dried cherries in the bowl of a food processor and chop them together with the steel blade. If the dried cherries stick to the blades too much, add a Tablespoon of flour to your bowl and try it again. (If you don’t have a food processor, you don’t have to buy one for this recipe – just chop everything up as well as you can with a sharp knife.)
Mix in the chopped nuts and cherries, add the chocolate chips, give a final stir by hand, and spread the batter out in your prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
Cool the Black Forest Brownies in the pan on a wire rack or on a cold stovetop burner.
When the brownies are completely cool, grasp the edges of the foil and lift the brownies out of the pan. Put them facedown on a cutting board, peel the foil off the back, and cut them into brownie-sized pieces.
Place the squares on a plate and dust lightly with powdered sugar if you wish.
Jo Fluke’s Note: A big thank you to the ladies at Delta Kappa Gamma. After I spoke to them in Camarillo, California, they gave me a huge box of dried fruit that included the dried Bing cherries that I used in these brownies.
Hannah’s Note: If you really want to be decadent, frost these brownies with Neverfail Frosting!
BLONDE BROWNIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
4 one-ounce squares white chocolate (or the eq
uivalent – ¾
cup white chocolate chips will do fine)
¾ cup butter (1 and ½ sticks, 6 ounces)
1 and ½ cups white (granulated) sugar
3 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
1 teaspoon coconut extract (or vanilla extract)
1 cup flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
½ cup pecans
½ cup coconut
½ cup white chocolate chips61 (I used Ghirardelli)
Prepare a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan by lining it with a piece of foil large enough to flap over the sides. Spray the foil-lined pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
Microwave the white chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl for one minute. Stir. (Since chocolate frequently maintains its shape even when melted, you have to stir to make sure.) If it’s not melted, microwave for an additional 20 seconds and stir again. Repeat if necessary.
Stir the sugar into the white chocolate mixture. Feel the bowl. If it’s not so hot it’ll cook the eggs, add them now, stirring thoroughly. Mix in the coconut extract.
Mix in the flour and stir just until it’s moistened.
Put the pecans, coconut and the half-cup of white chocolate chips in a food processor. Chop them all together with the steel blade. (If you don’t have a food processor, you don’t have to buy one just for this recipe – chop everything up as well as you can with a sharp knife.)
Mix in the chopped ingredients, give a final stir, and spread the batter out in your prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
Cool the Blonde Brownies in the pan on a wire rack. When they’re thoroughly cool, grasp the edges of the foil and lift the brownies out of the pan. Put them facedown on a cutting board, peel the foil off the back, and cut them into brownie-sized pieces.
Place the squares on a plate and dust lightly with powdered sugar.
Jo Fluke’s Note: I developed these Blonde Brownies for Laura Levine’s party when she launched the third book in her Jaine Austen mystery series, Killer Blonde.
*BOURBON BROWNIES
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
1 package of family style brownie mix (the kind that makes
a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan or TWO packages that
make 8-inch by 8-inch pans of brownies)62
½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, whatever you like)
cup bourbon
½ cup butter, softened (1 stick, 4 ounces, ¼ pound)
2 cups sifted powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
3 Tablespoons bourbon
Hannah’s 1st Note: Of course you can use your favorite brownie recipe and make your own if you wish.
Hannah’s 2nd Note: Bertie says to use a good brand of bourbon in these brownies. They’ll taste a lot better.
Grease and flour (or spray with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray) a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan.
Mix up the brownies, following the directions on the package.
Add the nuts and bake at 325 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes.
When the baking time is up, remove the pan from the oven the cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack or set them on a cold burner on the stovetop to cool.
When the brownies are completely cool, use a hatpin, a wooden skewer, a metal cake tester, or anything you can find that has a thin, sharp point. Poke approximately 50 holes down through the brownies in the pan.
Measure out the cup good bourbon and brush it or carefully pour it over the top of the brownies, letting it soak into all the holes.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate it for one hour.
When an hour’s gone by, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, and the 3 Tablespoons of bourbon in a bowl. Beat the mixture until it’s smooth and is the consistency of frosting.
Hannah’s 3rd Note: If you think your frosting is too thin to spread, add a little more powdered sugar. If you think it’s too thick, add a little more bourbon.
Spread the frosting on top of the brownies as evenly as possible.
Sneak one brownie just for you and then cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap. Return it to the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve the Bourbon Brownies.
To serve, cut into brownie-sized pieces and arrange them on a pretty platter.
Hannah’s 4th Note: You’d better have plenty of strong coffee to serve with these!
CHOCOLATE HIGHLANDER COOKIE BARS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in middle position.
1 cup softened butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces ½ pound)
½ cup powdered sugar (don’t sift)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour (don’t sift – pack it down in the cup when you
measure it)
1 cup melted butter, cooled to room temperature (2 sticks,
8 ounces ½ pound)
1 cup white (granulated) sugar
4 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup flour (don’t sift – pack it down in the cup when you
measure it)
2 and ½ cups chocolate chips
cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar to sprinkle on top of the pan
FIRST STEP: Prepare a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan by lining it with a piece of heavy duty foil large enough to flap over the sides. Spray the foil-lined pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
SECOND STEP: Mix the softened butter with the powdered sugar and the salt. Beat them until they’re light and fluffy. Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each cup. Dump the mixture into your prepared pan and pat it smooth with your impeccably clean hands.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. This is the shortbread crust. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner. (Don’t turn off oven!)
THIRD STEP: Combine the melted butter with the white sugar in your original mixing bowl. (No need to wash it.) Mix in the beaten eggs. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix thoroughly. (A hand mixer will do the job if you’re tired of stirring.)
Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan on the stovetop over LOW heat, or place them in a small microwave-safe bowl and cook for 3 minutes on HIGH. (Be sure to stir after 3 minutes — chips may maintain their shape even after they’re melted.)
Add the melted chocolate chips to your bowl and mix them in thoroughly.
Pour this mixture on top of the shortbread crust you just baked and tip the pan so that it’s evenly distributed. Stick the pan back into the oven and bake it at 350 degrees F. for another 25 minutes. Then remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on additional powdered sugar.
Let the Chocolate Highlander Cookie Bars cool thoroughly and then tip them out of the pan, pull the foil from the back, flip them right side up again, and cut them into brownie-sized pieces. You can refrigerate these, after you cut them.
Hannah’s Note: Andrea said these were so rich, no one could eat more than one, but I watched her eat three when she thought I wasn’t looking.
CHOCOLATE OVERLOAD COOKIE BARS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
FOR THE CRUST:
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (don’t sift – pack it down
in the cup to measure it)
¼ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, for baking)
¾ cup white (granulated) sugar
¾ cup softened butter (1 and ½ sticks, 6 ounces)
Mix the flour, cocoa powder, and white sugar together and then cut in the softened butter. (You can also do this with a food processor with a steel blade, using chilled butter that’s been cut into chunks.)
Spread the mixture out in the bottom of a greased 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan and press it down with a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Take the crust out of the oven, but DON’
T SHUT OFF THE OVEN. You’ll need to bake the filling.
FOR THE FILLING:
2 eight-ounce packages softened cream cheese (the block
type, not the whipped type)
1 cup mayonnaise (I used Hellmann’s)
1 cup white (granulated) sugar
4 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips (a 12-ounce bag)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
You can do these cookie bars by hand, but it’s a lot easier with an electric mixer. Place the softened cream cheese in a bowl and beat it with the mayonnaise until it’s smooth. Gradually add the white sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 3 minutes. (Chocolate chips may retain their shape, so stir them to see if they’re melted.) Let them cool for a minute or two, and then gradually add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture.
Mix in the vanilla extract, and pour the chocolate mixture on top of the crust you just baked.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 additional minutes. Let the Chocolate Overload Cookie Bars cool to room temperature and then chill for at least 4 hours.
Cut into brownie-size bars. Garnish the bars with strawberries, sweetened whipped cream, or powdered sugar if desired.
LOVELY LEMON BAR COOKIES