Cooking with the Journal-Indian Bars

Back in the late 60's and throughout the 70's, we subscribed to the Farm Journal magazine.  This was, and is, a magazine for farmers, and you had to prove you were one to subscribe.  At that time, the magazine had a section called "The Farmer's Wife."  The section included recipes sent in by cooks from all over the country.  The publisher of the magazine issued a series of cookbooks, most of which I purchased and still have.  This was the forerunner of the "Taste of Home" type magazines and cookbooks of today.  The Journal has a web site with many of the recipes here.  Right now many of their links are not working.

On Tuesdays, I am going to share my favorite recipes from that series of cookbooks here.  The first recipe is called Indian Bars and is from "Farm Journal's Homemade Cookies" published in 1971.  I know, I know, I just posted four cookie recipes last week.  However, these are one of my granddaughter's favorite cookie; and I send them to her at school in California.

Indian Bars
1 c. butter or margarine
2 sqs. unsweetened chocolate (may sub 6 T. cocoa and 2 T. additional butter)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

Melt butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over low heat or in microwave.  Add sugar.  Mix well and let cool slightly.  Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.  Combine flour and baking powder; stir into creamed mixture.  Add nuts.  Pour into greased 9x13-in. baking pan and bake at 350 degrees 35 to 40 minutes.  Cool completely in pan on a rack.  Frost if desired.  Cut into bars.  Makes 2-3 dozen.

These are good on-their-own; and that is what I send to my granddaughter.  I line the pan with foil, using enough so that the foil will fold back over the top of the bars when they are baked.  I let them cool, fold the foil over the top, tuck in on the sides, put the uncut bars in a heavy freezer bag; and ship them off.  The bars stay nice and fresh that way.

Sometimes to dress the bars up, I use this frosting:
Fudge Frosting
1 c. sugar
6 tbsp. butter (must be butter)
6 tbsp. milk
1/2 bag semisweet chocolate chips (must be real chocolate chips)

Combine ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring and boil for 1/2 minute, take off heat. Add chocolate chips and beat well.  Pour and spread over cooled bars.

Tomorrow I'm Skipping through Blogland.  Where will I stop this week?