Aunt Dumpy's Congo Squares

My Aunt Dumpy and Uncle Charles Grant lived here at Amelia Island when I was growing up and I've always fondly remembered Aunt Dumpy's Congo Squares. Come to find out, her recipe was very similar to her neighbor, Florence "Noonie" Partin and Mrs.Partin's niece  Julie is a friend of ours and she had the recipe.  I polled my cousins Susie and Trish for their recipes, merged it with the Partin recipe, baked a few test batches (the neighbors loved them) and here's what I came up with:

1 Box light brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter
2¾ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt (leave out if using self rising flour)

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder (leave out if using self rising flour)

3 eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 cup chocolate chips (1 ¼ in mix, ¾ cup on top)

1 cup chopped pecans

OPTIONAL:  ½ cup coconut

 

Melt butter in microwave, mix with sugar,  let it cool!

 (I didn't the first time and when I added the chocolate chips they melted)

ADD vanilla

Add eggs

Stir until all is mixed thoroughly.

If not using Self Rising Flour,  add baking soda and salt to flour and sift a couple of times to get it mixed thoroughly.

Add Chopped pecans

Add 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips

Add coconut if you are using it

Add  sugar/egg mix to dry ingredients and beat with blender.  Spoon into “Large Bar Pan” (Pampered Chef-stoneware) lined with parchment paper and sprinkle the last 3/4  cup chocolate chips over top.  Bake  30 minutes on 325 degrees. Make sure the center is done.

Cut Congo Squares in bar pan then lift out parchment paper and put on cooling rack.

These are great served hot with vanilla ice cream.