Tweed Squares

LOVE these squares! I remember my mom making them every Christmas. We'd help her by grating the chocolate.

I had to go searching for a recipe as I couldn't find my mom's. I've adapted one from HERE.

When I make mine, I usually split the bottom layer and make two pans, as I find it's almost too much "cake" for a square.

TWEED SQUARES

Bottom Layer:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate (grated)

Mix all ingredients well. In small bowl, beat 3 egg whites beaten stiff with 1/2 cup sugar. Add to mixture. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool thoroughly.

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 egg yolks

Mix and spread over cooled bottom layer.

Top Layer:
2 squares melted semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp butter

Melt in double boiler and spread over middle layer.

Refrigerate.

It's easier to cut these squares if you use a knife that is dipped in hot water, otherwise the top chocolate layer may crack.

Nanaimo Squares

These are probably our most favorite cookies. I usually only make them at Christmas time.
NANAIMO SQUARES

BOTTOM LAYER:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut
1 egg (beaten)
1 3/4 cup graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan. Mix in cocoa and sugar. Add egg and stir until egg is cooked and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Press firmly into ungreased 9x9 pan. I usually like the pan with foil wrap to make them easier to remove from the pan. Set in refrigerator to cool.

MIDDLE LAYER:
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Mix and beat until light. Spread over cooled bottom layer.

TOP LAYER:
4 semisweet chocolate squares
2 Tbsp butter

Melt and let cool slightly. Spoon over middle layer. Chill

The best way to cut these squares with cracking the chocolate layer is to first run a knife around the edges of the pan. Turn out unto cutting board. Heat a big knife with hot water, then cut into squares. The heat from the knife should slice the chocolate nicely.

easy squares

This recipe is handed down from my late mother-in-law, though I didn't get it directly from her. Devin and I were talking about his mom's cooking one day, and he said he remembered these lemony squares that she used to make. Well, a few months later, his Aunt Barb and Uncle Gerald came to visit us all the way from Ontario :-) Aunt Barb and MIL were very close. I metioned the lemony squares to her and she knew the recipe!! So, I had her write it out for me. We made them that day and surprised dh with them. YUM! He loved them -- actually we all love them!!

They are so easy to make and don't use very many ingredients.

LONNA'S LEMON SQUARES

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
Graham Wafer biscuits
icing sugar/water

Mix together condensed milk and lemon juice. Layer graham biscuits on a cookie tray (with raised edges). Make sure the whole pan is filled in. You may need to cut some biscuits to make them fit.

 Spread the milk mixture over the biscuits.

Top with another layer of biscuits -- make sure they are arranged in the same pattern as the bottom layer. Mix about 1 cup icing sugar with a small about of water. Drizzle over the biscuits and chill for a few hours before cutting.

You can use more/less icing -- as desired.

Chocolate Brownies

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs (well-beaten)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 8" square pan. Bake at 350 deg. for 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake! Let cool and top with icing.

I think I may get one of my children to make these today. They don't last long around my house! LOL!