Kirsten Dixon

“Winterlake Lodge Cookbook”

Author’s note: “In any wilderness lodge repertoire it is essential to have lots of cookie recipes. coffee cake and other snake cakes, and some good bar cookie recipes. This recipe is so quick and so easy we cans tart it when guests depart from Anchorage for Winterlake and have them out of the oven and onto the coffee bar by the time they arrive. I make blueberry jam every summer and fall when the lodge is surrounded by plump berries.”

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped black walnuts

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 egg

1 1/2 cups homemade fresh blueberry jam (recipe follows)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

To make the crumb mixture for the bottom and top of the bars, combine the flour, sugar, walnuts, butter and egg in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixture fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the mixture a low speed until the mixture is crumbly, about 2 minutes. Set aside 2 cups of the crumb mixture.

Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the baking pan. Spread the blueberry jam over the crumb crust, leaving about a 1/2 inch edge free of jam. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top of the blueberry jam. Press the crumb mixture lightly into the blueberry jam.

Place the baking pan in the center of the oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the crumb topping is browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Cut the bars into 2-inch squares.

Makes about 24 bars.

Homemade Fresh Blueberry Jam

Author’s note: “Sometimes I add a bit of lemon and a clove to this recipe.”

4 cups wild blueberries

4 cups sugar

In an enamel or stainless steel medium saucepan, combine the blueberries and sugar. Lightly mash the berries if you prefer. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and gently boil for 15-20 minutes. Makes 4 cups.