Baking for Our Troops - October Team Oven Loving for the Recovering (Recipe: Congo Bars)

This month I participated again in Operation Baking GALS (Give A Little Support) and again joined Team Oven Loving for the Recovering. We had such great participation the prior month that we were able to send treats to a second recovering group. Instead of going to Maryland, my cookies went cross country to San Diego, CA.

My plan was to make mini muffins, but when they stuck to the mini muffin tins beyond belief I resorted to an old stand by: My Mom's Congo Bars. I blogged about these before, but the recipe I included was a photo of her original recipe. The one below is easier to read! It was very hard for me not to sneak one of these and when the husband came around looking for "defects" I had nothing to offer him. These are a tried and true favorite of my family. You can also play around with the ingredients: omit nuts, add cranberries, cherries, add a different type of nut, etc. You get the hint.

If you like to bake and would like an easy way to help support our troops, please be sure to check out the Operating Baking Gals site at: www.bakinggals.com or visit us on Facebook (Operation Baking GALS). Our troops, whether on the frontline or now home recovering from injuries received enjoy these treats more than you can imagine.

Do you have a favorite go to recipe that never lets you down?

Kate's Congo Bars
(Printable recipe)

Makes 2 dozen bars

2 3/4 cups sifted flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup oil (if you want to reduce calories try substituting half the amount of oil with applesauce)
1 pound dark brown sugar (you can certainly use light brown, but dark will give a richer flavor)
3 eggs
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix and sift flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream and beat well sugar and oil.

Add eggs one at a time and beat well before adding the next.

Add flour mixture and vanilla to the wet mixture and then fold in nuts and chocolate chips.

Spread on a well greased pan and bake 20-22 minutes. Let cool and then cut.

Enjoy!