Cranberry-Pecan Bars
I usually bake these around Christmas, but the recipe was requested recently and there is no reason they wouldn't be good any time of the year.
The recipe is from a Better Homes & Gardens "Cookies Cookies Cookies" cookbook.
Cranberry-Pecan Bars
Crust
1 cup AP flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine the flour and sugar and cut the butter in until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the pecans. Press into a 13x9x2 inch baking pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Topping
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Combine the topping and spread over the partially baked crust. Continue baking for another 30 minutes. Slice into bars while cooling.
Oooh, I'll have to try those! They remind me of a great pecan bar recipe that I made this past Christmas. The recipe is from Gourmet:
http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/1980s/1981/04/cloudts-pecan-treats
I made about nine of these "historical" recipes (made sure to hit every decade at least once) and these were the overall winner for flavor. Some of the others were prettier, but these are the ones I would make "any time of the year," as you say. I think that what set them apart was the honey, of which I was initially skeptical. It ended up being nearly indistinguishable from caramel in the end. You could probably add cranberries if you are partial to them.
Summer
I can't wait to make these. They look delicious.