Chocolate Chip Hash Bars

My husband feeds my love of cookbooks and a few weeks ago he came home with a new one that he snagged for a few dollars at an antique store - 1963 Favorite Recipes of Friends from St. Elizabeth's Church, Duluth, MN.  I read the recipe titles out loud and the ingredient lists to Uriah one night and we were laughing so hard.  I am going to have to try some of these recipes because they are too weird to be terrible!  For example: Party Lunch, submitted by Mrs. Wm. Ritchie includes hot milk, tuna, hard boiled eggs and pimentos, among other savory ingredients.  Sounds like a party to me...maybe.  Or Roadside Potatoes, submitted by Mrs. Robert Bubalo, includes, obviously potatoes, but also green pepper, onion, Amercian Cheese and covered in hot milk "so the potatoes don't turn black."  The hot milk is a curiosity to me; it shows up in a lot of recipes.

Anyway, one of the recipes we came across was for Chocolate Chip Hash Bars, which, since the cookbooks was from 1963, we had our doubts about the original origin, but the ingredient list was all legal, so I proceeded to make them for Father's Day.  Those church ladies sure do know their bars!  These were amazing and if you have to bring something to your Fourth of July picnic next week, might I suggest these?    The original recipe calls for 2 cups of chocolate chips, but my husband is a fan of butterscotch chips, so I did one cup chocolate and 1 cup butterscotch.  Ever the loving wife, I am!

Happy almost weekend!  Do you have big plans or are you saving up for the weekend after the 4th?  I think it's so strange when holidays fall in the middle of the week, so instead of partying either the weekend before or the weekend after, we are utilizing the whole week by heading to the dirty, dirty South to stay with my sister.  Right now we are busy packing and cleaning in preparation.  Everything I try to fold and organize, Finn tells me he needs to "sort" (read: throw all over the room.  Very annoying.  I currently have him "packing" his books and toys).

I am packing this cookbook because I'm sure I will be making these bars at some point next week!

Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour

To make the crust, mix and make a crumb mixture.  Press into a 9x13" baking pan, reserving 3/4 cup for topping.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1-1/2 cup coconut
• 2 cups chocolate chips (or 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips

Beat the eggs and vanilla.  Add brown sugar, baking powder, flour and beat until mixed and smooth.  Stir in the coconut and the chocolate chips.  Spread mixture evenly over the bottom crust layer.  Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture on the top and return to the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.  Dust with powder sugar.

Thanks for submitting this one, Mrs. Harold R. Evens!

Favorite Recipes of Friends | 1963 | St Elizabeth's Church, Duluth MN 

My husband feeds my love of cookbooks and a few weeks ago he came home with a new one that he snagged for a few dollars at an antique store - 1963 Favorite Recipes of Friends from St. Elizabeth's Church, Duluth, MN.  I read the recipe titles out loud and the ingredient lists to Uriah one night and we were laughing so hard.  I am going to have to try some of these recipes because they are too weird to be terrible!  For example: Party Lunch, submitted by Mrs. Wm. Ritchie includes hot milk, tuna, hard boiled eggs and pimentos, among other savory ingredients.  Sounds like a party to me...maybe.  Or Roadside Potatoes, submitted by Mrs. Robert Bubalo, includes, obviously potatoes, but also green pepper, onion, Amercian Cheese and covered in hot milk "so the potatoes don't turn black."  The hot milk is a curiosity to me; it shows up in a lot of recipes.

Anyway, one of the recipes we came across was for Chocolate Chip Hash Bars, which, since the cookbooks was from 1963, we had our doubts about the original origin, but the ingredient list was all legal, so I proceeded to make them for Father's Day.  Those church ladies sure do know their bars!  These were amazing and if you have to bring something to your Fourth of July picnic next week, might I suggest these?    The original recipe calls for 2 cups of chocolate chips, but my husband is a fan of butterscotch chips, so I did one cup chocolate and 1 cup butterscotch.  Ever the loving wife, I am!

Happy almost weekend!  Do you have big plans or are you saving up for the weekend after the 4th?  I think it's so strange when holidays fall in the middle of the week, so instead of partying either the weekend before or the weekend after, we are utilizing the whole week by heading to the dirty, dirty South to stay with my sister.  Right now we are busy packing and cleaning in preparation.  Everything I try to fold and organize, Finn tells me he needs to "sort" (read: throw all over the room.  Very annoying.  I currently have him "packing" his books and toys).

I am packing this cookbook because I'm sure I will be making these bars at some point next week!

Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour

To make the crust, mix and make a crumb mixture.  Press into a 9x13" baking pan, reserving 3/4 cup for topping.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1-1/2 cup coconut
• 2 cups chocolate chips (or 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips

Beat the eggs and vanilla.  Add brown sugar, baking powder, flour and beat until mixed and smooth.  Stir in the coconut and the chocolate chips.  Spread mixture evenly over the bottom crust layer.  Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture on the top and return to the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.  Dust with powder sugar.

Thanks for submitting this one, Mrs. Harold R. Evens!

Favorite Recipes of Friends | 1963 | St Elizabeth's Church, Duluth MN