Cakes, Cookies, Caramel Corn, OH MY!

It's the end of another school year.  Next year my kids will be a year older, I will be a year older and life goes on.

This year is no different than any other year, I over did it.  I baked and baked and baked until I couldn't stand any longer, thus, indulged in an hour and half massage.  The weeks will go on and in time I will forget about how tight my shoulders are and how swollen my feet were.  Next, year at this time, I will forget all about the aches and pains and do it all over again!

I bought these great baking pans at Bed Bath & Beyond.  This year, rather than packing in boxes, I wrapped everything up in exactly what I baked in.  The presentation, if I do say so myself, was lovely.

Cherry Almond Bars

adapted from rustic fruit desserts

yield 12 bars

ingredients

fruit filling

3 cups (18 oz ) cherries

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbls. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. fine salt

zest and juice of one lemon

crust and topping

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 tsp. fine salt

3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

instructions:

• preheat oven to 350*.  butter a 9" square baking pan

• fruit filling: quarter cherries, put in saucepan with sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon zest, + lemon juice over medium high heat.  bring to a boil, boil for 1-2 minutes until thickened

• crust + topping: combine flour, brown sugar, almonds, + salt in the bowl of a food processor + pulse. add the butter until crumbly.  add the egg and vanilla and pulse until mixture comes together.

• press two-thirds of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, then pour in the cherry filling. press the remaining crust on top.

• bake 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown and bubbling.  cool for 1 hour before cutting.

• the bars will keep at room temperature for 4 days.

2 blueberry coffee cakes

2 marble pound cakes

2 banana nut loaves

1 cherry almond bars (shown)

48 triple chocolate triangles

8 dozen milk chocolate cookies

4 pounds cashew-almond caramel corn

6 1/2 pounds flour

4 pounds butter

1 1/4 pound brown sugar

5 pounds sugar

2 pounds good chocolate

9 cups fruit

21 eggs

2 pounds nuts

was it worth it?  heck yeah!