Beyond Rivalry

People keep asking me for this recipe, so here it is, from Pioneer Press (MN) Christmas Cookie Database, with my notes and additions:

Jeweled Mix Nut Bars

submitted by: KathyZieman of St. Paul, MN. Kathy got the recipe from her mother, who used salted peanuts, which I also used in half the batches I made. They taste great, too. (Photo shows the peanut bars, not the mixed nut bars.)

Serves 24 (or however many you want depending on how big you cut the squares)

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter

2 cups deluxe mixed nuts (salted)

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 pkg. (6 oz) butterscotch chips
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, salt, and brown sugar. Cut in butter thoroughly, dump into greased 9x13 pan, and press down into pan. Bake 350 degrees for 10 minutes. [I just line the pan with parchment paper to make cutting and removal easier.]

While baking crust, melt over low heat or microwave for one minute or until melted: butterscotch chips, 2 Tablespoons butter, vanilla, and corn syrup.

To Bake: Spread mixed nuts over crust and pour melted topping evenly over the nuts. The topping may not cover every inch of nuts, but when it melts, it will. Bake this for 10 minutes -- press the nuts down with a spatula halfway through -- or until sides start to bubble. Cool thoroughly, then cut into squares. If using parchment paper, lift the whole thing out of the pan at once, move it to a cutting board, and cut squares.