Five Cup Slice

Last night, i wanted a dessert to go with my beef stew, so i skimmed through my squares cookbook and picked out one that looked quick and easy, called Five Cup Slice. All the dry ingredients add up to five cups, which is great because i mixed them together and poured it into two different square dishes to be sure i had the right fit before i added the milk. Sometimes, i will start pouring a mix into a dish and find out that it is either to big or to small and then have another dish to wash; this time i just had to wipe it out. I couldn't get a really good picture of the book, for some reason i could not zoom and focus the camera, no matter what combination of light, flash, zoom, etc i used.

Five Cup Slice

1 can sweetened condensed milk (11 oz - 300 mL)

1 + 1/4 cups medium unsweetened coconut.

1 + 1/4 cups raisins or currents.

1 + 1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips.

1 + 1/4 cups unsalted peanuts. 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread evenly into a greased 9 X 9 inch pan. Bake in 350 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes until starting to turn golden. Let stand on wire rack to cool, cuts into 36 squares. NOTE: peanuts and raisins can be chopped for better distribution if desired. 

The recipe reminds me of an old commercial. A Mom in the kitchen with a large plate of rice krispie treats. She is sitting reading a novel and eats one of the squares, decides they are perfect, and so messes her hair, puffs some flour and water on her face and walks out of the kitchen looking very frazzled, to sounds of her family emphasizing saying she should not have gone through the trouble. This is as easy as the krispie squares, looks as complicated and is just as delicious. I may not make them again, though, unless they are leaving the house. They are beyond extremely sweet. I got a sugar high from eating one! Yummy! 

The mixture didn't look much different going into and coming out of the oven, save for the brown edges. I mixed the dry stuff together before adding the milk, though, just so everything was even throughout. I was lucky, i had just enough of all four ingredients in the house. With last night's snowstorm, i wasn't going out, and almost had to pick a new recipe! 

The only issue i had with the recipe is partially my own fault. They weren't quite cool last night at bed time, so i just wrapped the pan and stuck it in the fridge. Today after work i decided to cut it up. I had a good workout doing that!! Hard as a rock! I managed to slice it into about 30 and am waiting a bit for them to warm up before taking them out of the pan. Don't forget to grease the dish, i almost forgot and i can only imagine what it would be like to try and chisel this out!!

So this is the third recipe I have tried in my new cook book, Company's Coming 150 Delicious Squares. And as of now, i am highly recommending this book for anyone who loves squares, or participates in bake sales, or just plain loves to bake! There are pictures of every recipe, something a lot of cook books do not have. The cover price is 16.99, a bit pricey in my opinion, but if you can find it for cheap, i'd say pick it up. 

Happy Baking!