Cherry Fruit Chews Food

CHERRY CHEWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, oats, 1 cup brown sugar, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Rub in the 1/2 cup of butter until crumbly. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and cool. Make the filling while the crust is baking. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, almond extract, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until smooth. Stir in the coconut, cherries and pecans. Spread over the pre-baked crust.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until light brown. Let cool before icing.
• To make the icing, mix together the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the reserved cherry juice until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over cooled bars before cutting into squares.

CHEWY CHERRY BARS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
• BEAT butter and brown sugar in medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in extract. Mix in flour, baking powder and oats until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1/2-cup for topping. Pat remaining crumbs into bottom of prepared pan.
• SPOON preserves evenly over crumb crust in pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping.
• BAKE 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.

CHRISTMAS CHERRY CHEWS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.
• In a bowl, mix together the first 5 ingredients.
• Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.
• Press mixture into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake for 8-9 minutes (don't overbake); remove and cool.
• Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• In a bowl, combine all topping ingredients; mix well.
• Spread topping over the cooled base.
• Sprinkle with pecan halves over top.
• Return to oven; bake for 30 minutes longer.
• Cool, cut into squares.

CHERRY PECAN CHEWS

Steps:

• Beat egg whites until frothy.
• Add sugar, salt, and vanilla; beat until mixture forms soft peaks.
• Add flour and blend well.
• Mix Crisco and butter until smooth.
• Fold in pecans and cherries.
• Pour into two greased 9x9 inch pans. (or you can use muffin or mini-muffin pans).
• Bake for 40 min at 350 degrees, then let cool.
• Cut into bars.
• *Holiday version: use 1 jar each of red and green candied cherries.