Week 45 - Too Soon to be Senile

I'm standing in the grocery store seeing the list in my hand that says, "12-oz jar raspberry jam." I investigate the brands, the prices, the sizes and then almost grab a 16-oz jar of strawberry. Whoopsy daisy. Then I specifically remember grabbing a 14-oz jar of red raspberry (I had to double check the berry because a few jars were out of place) and dropping in my basket. But somehow between the jam aisle and my kitchen it had reverted to the big jar of strawberry. It's magic. Or I really am losing my mind already.

This was my second "good but not great" recipe for this week (still getting caught up). It would be a good potluck dish but not an especially memorable one. Maybe it's because I cheaped out and bought a generic chocolate chip instead of Hershey's or maybe it's because I used strawberry instead of red raspberry jam but either way I was not overwhelmed. I was also annoyed that cutting 2 sticks of butter into dry ingredients takes for-stinkin-ever and I was ready to be done in the kitchen.

Whatever the reason, my final verdict on this one is, "meh, it was OK." And I think the fact that a dessert is still sitting uneaten on our counter after 5 days speaks for itself.

HOLIDAY RED RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE BARS

Source: Best-Loved Hershey's

2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour - 1 C. sugar - 3/4 C. finely chopped pecans - 1 egg, beaten - 1 C. (2 sticks) cold butter or margarine - 1 jar (12 oz.) seedless red raspberry jam - 1 2/3 C. chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, pecans and egg in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Stir jam to soften; carefully spread over crumb mixture in pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Crumble reserved crumb mixture evenly over top.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars.