Matrimonial Bars & Tweaking

They say that change is good.  I often move things around in my home.  I stew over the changes for an hour or two . . . sometimes a day or two.  I go to bed, and worry about those changes.  Usually, I end up putting everything back in it’s place!

Have you noticed a few tweaks on my blog? I’m still working out a few problems, adding things and trying to get used to the changes as well. I should probably just turn it over to the professionals like so many others have, and have the whole site – re-done. One day, I might just do that.  For now, I hope that it is still helpful in some sort of way.

Some new changes you might see today:

The scrolling menu bar:  I really don’t think I care for this.  In fact, I’ve tried unsuccessfully to turn it off. What are your thoughts? I also have considered adding a Landing page.  For those of you who are familiar with that . . . what do you think?  The side-bar is now on the left side, instead of the right.

Infinite Scrolling:  If you are patient enough, new posts will continue to load and load and load and load.

Sneak peaks:  Tiny pictures on the sides.  Click on them when they come out to play.  These small pictures simply take the place of previous posts & later posts from the one you are currently viewing.

Top left RECIPES bar: Click on the grey RECIPES BAR. Now Click on Select Category. You will now have a full list of all the recipe categories available to you.

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Now let’s talk about things of a more delicious nature.

Perhaps one of my best childhood memories, was preparing a box of Betty Crocker Date Bars with my Mom.  For years and years, it was my families favorite box dessert.  As the date bars were baking, the smell was glorious and we could hardly wait until it came from the oven.  Mom would serve it with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. We all thought we have died and gone to heaven. One box only made an 8×8 pan of date bars, and it was hardly enough for a family with six hungry kids. I believe we had one other favorite, and it was the Lemon Pudding Cake.  I finally found a great recipe to duplicate that as well. Both desserts took five minutes from box to oven . . . and they were both delicious.

I rarely buy anything in a box, but if these were still available . . . I promise, I would buy them.  Matrimonial Bars are Date Bars with a fancy name. I’ve tried several Matrimonial/Date Bar recipes now, but I do believe these are my favorite to date. The buttery crumb is perfect. The date mixture in the middle is very close to what I remember.  They are pretty close to spectacular.

My notes: Next time, I will possibly double the date mixture and let it simmer a bit longer.  If it simmers on low heat longer, it will give those dates time to break down and release their full flavor. Simmering will thicken & deepen the color & flavor of the date sauce. It might tend to be just a little more like that box of Date Bars I remember.  It’s actually crazy that the boxed date mixture was so good, once baked.  It was only this dry package of date stuff, that you add to hot water. I’m telling you . . . they were soooo good!

I clipped this recipe a long time ago from an old newspaper. The recipe says Hometown Recipes from Mildred Hennon – age 91

Mildred . . . Your recipe is certainly delicious.

I will say . . . the crumb on this home-made version is yummy.  It’s hard to quit pulling chunks off the top, as if nobody will notice.

I almost sprinkled the top with powdered sugar.  That what my Gra-ma-ma always did.  I got worried that you wouldn’t be able to see that beautiful chunky crumb topping though.  My Mom always had a bowl of sweetened whipped cream for the top of the warm Date Bars.  Ice Cream was my Dad’s favorite topping.

Betty Crocker . . . Please bring back the good ol’ box of Date Bars!

 

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