Caramel-chocolate bar a treat tough to resist

Thanks to Christine Block, Edna Mroz of Beausejour, Phyllis Gompf of Oak Lake and Muriel McPhail of Carberry.

Also this week, a long-ago request by Rhonda D. for Acadian "Rapé pie" was filled by Jannie Sarsfield of Calgary, Colette Mozol, Dorothy Flight, Fran Wershler, Joyce Scanlon, Dorothy Anscob, Gwen, Jim Haslam of Oakbank, Pauline Rowe and Shauna R.

Now onto recent requests:

Marge Johnstone would love to get her hands on an old, favourite recipe for Swiss steak. It included round steak, canned tomatoes, onions and celery, which are combined and then baked in a casserole.

Diane Mayes of Pierson would like to recreate an alfredo pasta sauce similar to Classico's.

Marianna Fedoryshyn is looking for a French dressing like the one served at the Royal Fork restaurant.

Lastly, Bobbie Germano hopes someone can come up with the recipe for cannelloni with a white sauce, which appeared in the milk calendar a few years ago.

Congratulations to Judy Scraba, who was the lucky swapper among all those who sent in Recipe Swap requests during February. She won the Company's Coming book Heart-Friendly Cooking by Jean Pare.

Please send any requests or responses to Recipe Swap, c/o Ilana Simon, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2X 3B6, send a fax to 697-7412 or e-mail to ilana.simon@freepress.mb.ca. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number in case any ingredients or directions must be checked.

Supposed to be Skor bar

About 35 soda crackers
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) butter
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chocolate chips
Chopped nuts or Smarties (optional)

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place a single layer of soda crackers, salt-side up, on cookie sheet, trimming to fit, if necessary.

In a saucepan, bring brown sugar and butter to a boil; boil for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add vanilla.

Pour over crackers, covering completely.

Bake in preheated 350º F (180º C) oven for about 5 minutes or until very bubbly. Watch that it doesn't burn. When entire surface is bubbling, remove from oven.

While hot, cover with chocolate chips. Let stand about 5 minutes or until chips are melted; spread to cover surface. Sprinkle with desired topping or leave plain.

Refrigerate or freeze to harden. Cut into bars or break into pieces.

Taste-tester notes: This combination of caramel and chocolate is almost irresistible! The recipe uses about 1 sleeve of soda crackers. I found the caramel was bubbling after 4 minutes, so watch carefully once you place the pan in the oven. Once hardened, the bars can be broken up and frozen in a sealable bag.

Rapé pie

1 chicken (about 3 lbs./2.5 kg)
1 large onion, sliced
6 medium-large potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup (50 mL) butter
3 strips bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
Poultry seasoning to taste

Cook chicken in large pot on top of stove with salt and pepper and sliced onions. When chicken is cooked, separate meat from the bones and cut into pieces.

In the meantime, peel potatoes and soak in cold water. Grate the potatoes and then place in a cloth bag and squeeze until all water and starch are removed.

Loosen the squeezed potatoes into a large pan, add the chicken broth (saved from the cooked chicken) and stir slowly. When potatoes are cooked enough, they will take on a jelly-like appearance. Be sure there are no lumps. Add salt and pepper and poultry seasoning to taste, and stir.

Cover bottom of a well-greased pan with half the potato mixture. Arrange pieces of chicken, chopped onions (reserving 3 tbsp./45 mL) and half of butter on top, distributing evenly. Cover with other half of potato mixture. Then add reserved chopped onion and remaining butter, distributing evenly. Add bacon strips. This will help to form the crust.

Place pie in 400º F (200º C) oven for about 1 hour or until a brown crust is formed.

Serve hot with applesauce or cranberry sauce.

Serves 6 people.

Taste-tester notes: This potato pie is tasty and filling. It takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to cook chicken in a pot. If desired, use cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, removing skin and bones, and cutting chicken into pieces. If using already-cooked chicken, add about 2 cups chicken stock when stirring and cooking grated potatoes. I used a thin tea towel (instead of cheese cloth) to squeeze the moisture from the potatoes. If desired, use olive oil and omit bacon. I found the pie needed to bake a minimum of 1 1/2 hours for a brown crust to form.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 19, 2003 $sourceSection$sourcePage