Meringue-Topped Chocolate Chip Bars

Where has May gone? For teachers and their students who are counting down the hours until the end of school, perhaps it's moved less swiftly. But, I look at the calendar and I see that June is barreling its way toward me. With June, comes a four-day church meeting in Topeka, which I hope gets finished up before harvest starts.

While television weatherpeople have started complaining about the rain and cooler temperatures, I'm thankful that the more moderate weather may have helped me avoid a head-on collision of church obligation and farm duty.

But, before we say goodbye to May, we have Memorial Day coming in little more than a week.

Memorial Day weekend just isn't the same as it was back when I was a kid. We still do the annual cemetery tour with my parents, putting flowers on loved ones' graves. We also try to meet Randy's sister and family to decorate graves for their family.

Look closely to see the rainbow in the clouds!

But back when I was grade school age, we sometimes had a picnic in Lemon Park in Pratt with Grandma and Grandpa Leonard and often with my Great Aunt Helen and Great Uncle Mike Stauth before we'd make the cemetery rounds.

As a kid, I didn't think about the preparation that went into toting a meal to the picnic shelter. I just looked forward to playing on the playground equipment and the novelty of eating a meal outdoors.

These days, we usually let a local pizza parlor do the cooking for us. And, as the chief cook around here, that's fine with me, too.

This recipe for Meringue-Topped Chocolate Chip Bars would be good at a picnic or for an after-the-cemetery-tour snack. They 'd be a fun treat at a camp-out with family or friends. They'd even be a little fancier chocolate chip bar to include on a cookie platter for a special gathering.

I found it in Calvary Baptist Church's most recent cookbook. It's a recipe from Alda Hildebrand, who always brings home her fair share of the ribbons in the open class division at the Stafford County Fair. The crunchy meringue top is the perfect way to offset the chewy cookie layer underneath.

Meringue-Topped Chocolate Chip Bars

Recipe adapted from Alda Hildebrand

Calvary Baptist Cookbook: Celebrating Our Heritage

Bar Cookie:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
Topping:
2 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
Chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add egg yolks, water and vanilla, mixing well. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a prepared 9- by 13-inch pan. Set aside.

Topping: Beat egg whites. Gradually add in brown sugar, beating well, until a meringue forms. Spread over cookie batter. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped nuts, if desired. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

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Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina