Labor Day signals the winding down of swimming season and the beginning of homework for students who just returned to school or college. The holiday also can signal the winding down of backyard barbecues. If you’re like me, though, you occasionally throw something on the grill right up until snow starts to fly. But, as daylight dwindles and weather becomes cooler, we find ourselves going back to the kitchen for most of our cooking. And, with cooler days ahead, we think about baking more without the worry of the summer heat spoiling or melting the special treats.
This time of year also reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom would take the streetcar from our home in Maplewood to downtown St. Louis for the Famous Barr “Dollar Day,” which usually was held at the end of the month.
On those shopping trips, she would treat us to a bag of Pecan Bark or Heavenly Hash that she could buy that day only for just $1 dollar a pound. I didn’t think anything could taste as good as those sweet treats, until our son, who works and lives in Switzerland, brought back Pecan Bark with cherries in it on his last trip home.
If you want to have an unforgettable end of the season barbecue on Labor Day, try making a homemade version of this Swiss treat! It’s quick and easy to make, leaving plenty of time to prepare the rest of the meal. The best part the recipe is it only takes four ingredients, and you can vary three of them to suit your particular tastes. You may find you like the candy so much you’ll want to make it for Christmas, too.
CHOCOLATE CHERRY PECAN BARK
1 (11 1/2-ounce) package (or 2 cups) of milk chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted and divided
Combine milk chocolate morsels and vegetable shortening over hot (NOT BOILING) water. Stir until morsels are melted and mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in dried cherries and 1/4 cup pecans. Spread into waxed-paper-lined, 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle remaining pecans on top. Chill until ready to serve (about 30 minutes). Before serving, break into bite-size pieces. Makes 1 pound.
Note: Make waxed paper long enough so candy can be easily lifted out of the pan to break into pieces.
Also, you can use semi-sweet morsels if you prefer dark chocolate. You can substitute dried cranberries for cherries and use walnuts, cashews or almonds instead of pecans if you prefer. Just follow the same directions with the preferred ingredients.
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