After a disappointing Friday when I headed to Chicago to meet with my best friend and didn’t make it there because my ~~reliable German~~ car broke down on the highway, my Saturday turned out to be quite pleasant. For the first time ever I participated in Artist Trading Cards project. There were 30 artists who participated. We all had to make 1 card a day for 30 days starting September 1st. The purpose of making one card a day is just to stay involved in your art since many of us don’t do art for living and in this busy world of ours it is hard to find time to paint. So after 30 days we all supposed to have 900 cards all together. Party was taking place last Saturday at St. Joseph, Michigan, a beautiful town at the Lake Michigan shore. Everyone was asked to bring a dish to share, so I decided to go with Razz-Ma-Tazz Bars (see my Christmas edition here) that really have never failed to put ones taste buds in awe. Party went very well, cards were traded, food was great and the company of fellow artists excellent. I came home happy, I made some new friends, I got 30 new trading cards and all the bars were eaten! 🙂

Razz-Ma-Tazz Bars

*** I use a 1.5 measure of batter for the 9 X 13 inch baking pan. The quantities below are for the 9 X 9 inch square pan. ***

Ingredients

1/2 cup (115 g) butter or margarine
2 cups (335 g) NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Premier White Morsels, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup (170 g) seedless raspberry jam (I use with seeds and I also add 1 cup of frozen raspberries)
1/4 cup (35 g) sliced almonds

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees F (162 C). Grease and sugar 9-inch-square baking pan.
MELT butter in medium, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Add 1 cup morsels; let stand. Do not stir.
BEAT eggs in large mixer bowl until foamy. Add sugar; beat until light lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in morsel-butter mixture. Add flour, salt and almond extract; mix at low speed until combined. Spread 2/3 of batter into prepared pan.
BAKE for 15 to 17 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Remove from oven to wire rack.
HEAT jam in small, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 30 seconds; stir. Spread jam over warm crust. Stir remaining morsels into remaining batter. Drop spoonfuls of batter over jam. Sprinkle with almonds.
BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.