Going on an Attic Safari

The other day I went searching for a 9" round cake pan. I can't even remember what I was thinking of making, but it must have been some sort of a berry cake. I not only did not unearth the aforesaid, but I also could not find my 8" cake pans or my Bundt pan, a relic from 1971. I've searched everywhere except for our attic, which is only accessible by using a pull-down ladder. It's the kind of attic where it is impossible to stand up and where one must crawl or stoop along the floor joists. But I've got to go up there because I've searched everywhere else. And I'm determined to find the cake pans. Early tomorrow morning, I'm off.

I was hoping today would be Round 2 of the Pumpkin Muffin Challenge, but resurrecting the dining room took all morning. If I'm going to make all these incredible meals, we've got to have a decent place to eat them. After that job, I only had time to make my signature dessert, sometimes known as Chocolate Butterscotch Bars or Congo Bars for a church barbecue. The secret to this recipe is to use 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of vanilla. I stumbled on this discovery on New Year's Eve, 2003, at about 6 p.m., when I was rushing to finish the baking so we could leave to go to a party. Someone (said person will not be identified) bumped into me as I was pouring the vanilla. Approximately three teaspoonsful or so got dumped into the batter. I was worried I'd ruined it, but the result was truly a transformation. I could not believe what a difference a bit of extra vanilla made in this recipe. The original recipe came from a Woman's Day magazine in 1962. It's the first thing I ever baked. No I'm not very old, but I was a very young cook.

Congo Bars

2/3 cup butter, melted
2 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup chocolate bits

Grease and lightly flour a jelly roll pan, isn't it 15"x1"x10"? Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter at a low temperature. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time and then add the vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients, then whisk them together. Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate bits to the butter, sugar, and eggs mixture. Stir only until combined. Pour into the pan and level it all evenly with a knife. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Don't eat even a crumb or I promise there will be none left for anyone else.