Cherry Nut Bars

Chewy and not too sweet with an interesting texture.

Ingredients:

• Crust:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening
  Topping:
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup dried red tart cherries (2 ounces)
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square pan. Mix flour and sugar. Cut in butter and mix until crumbly. Press into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. While this is baking, prepare the topping.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the eggs until very light, then add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla.

Add dry ingredients; mix and add the nuts, cherries and coconut. Pour over baked crust. Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes. Cool in the pan, turn out and cut into bars or squares. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, if desired.

Makes 25 bars