Mrs. Peters was another close friend of my mom's and a very good cook. I like to make these bars to keep Helen's memory alive.
Helen Peters Apricot Bars
Ingredients:
2/3 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/3 sifted all-purpose flour; divided
1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Rinse apricots; place in a small saucepan; cover with water and simmer 10 minutes. Drain. Cool. Chop apricots fine. (Can be done in blender.) Start heating oven to 350 degrees; grease 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
In a bowl, with mixer at medium speed, mix margarine, granulated sugar and 1 cup of the sifted flour until crumbly. Then pack mixture in baking pan; bake for 25 minutes and remove from the oven.
Sift 1/3 cup flour with baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat eggs; gradually beat in brown sugar, then baking powder mixture and vanilla. Stir in chopped walnuts and apricots. Spread this mixture over baked layer in baking pan. Bake 30 minutes or until set; cool in pan. Cut into small bars.
To freeze: Leave them uncut in dish, freezer wrap in dish and freezer. To thaw: Let stand, wrapped at room
temperature 30 to 40 minutes, then unwrap and cut into bars.Helen Peters Apricot Bars
Ingredients:
2/3 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/3 sifted all-purpose flour; divided
1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Rinse apricots; place in a small saucepan; cover with water and simmer 10 minutes. Drain. Cool. Chop apricots fine. (Can be done in blender.) Start heating oven to 350 degrees; grease 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
In a bowl, with mixer at medium speed, mix margarine, granulated sugar and 1 cup of the sifted flour until crumbly. Then pack mixture in baking pan; bake for 25 minutes and remove from the oven.
Sift 1/3 cup flour with baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat eggs; gradually beat in brown sugar, then baking powder mixture and vanilla. Stir in chopped walnuts and apricots. Spread this mixture over baked layer in baking pan. Bake 30 minutes or until set; cool in pan. Cut into small bars.
To freeze: Leave them uncut in dish, freezer wrap in dish and freezer. To thaw: Let stand, wrapped at room