FCG: Cranberry Pecan Bars 12/16/05

Seasons Greetings Gang! It's been a long time since I've sent anything out: blame school. I work hard at it, so it takes up a lot of my experimentation time. Fortunately, my mother has kindly provided this time's offering. Is it worthwhile to keep this going by the way, or is it just an annoyance for me to keep sending out recipes? Congratulations go out to Mitzi of our group on the birth of her new daughter Darla. Congratulations also to Emily of our group who will be moving to Utah within the next couple of months with her family and the new job (well, for her husband: she gets to keep the harder one and be a stay-at-home Mom). Congratulations to anyone else who has passed a milestone or made a significant accomplishment and my apologies for not mentioning it: I've been burried with research into religious attitudes on the environment and on the realities (as opposed to the mythologies) of Saint Patrick, so I don't know anything about anything any more. Sorry. I do know I wish you all a happy Christmas and a wonderful 2006! Enjoy - Devon

Cranberry Pecan Bars

1 cup flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (is it ever NOT packed?)
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBLSP cold butter

Combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter until it is crumbly. Press this into a greased 9" square pan and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes (until the edges are lightly browned).

Filling:
2 TBLSP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1 TBLSP milk
1 TBLSP (yes, that's right: TABLESPOON) Vanila
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I guess if you hate coconut you could leave this out. Maybe substitute chocolate chips--or even just add some choc chips to it too)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 tsp grated orange peel

Combine flour and baking powder. Combine the eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla and add to the dry ingredients. Chop the berries well and fold them into the mix with the coconut, pecans, and orange peel. Pour this over your baked crust and bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool it on a wire rack and cut it into bars. (Be sure to refrigerate leftovers.) "Makes 1- 1 1/2 dozen unless you eat it like cake like Timmy does."