Butterscotch Cashew Bars

As part of my ongoing search for interesting recipes, every time I go to the ReUzit thrift shop I look for back issues of Taste of Home magazine. Investing a dime or even a quarter, I grab up any I haven't already read. It's amazing how many people apparently hoarded away Taste of Home magazines in the 90's; the thrift shop seems to have an unending supply! All that is prelude to saying that this recipe is one that I discovered in one of the old Taste of Home magazines. Since my husband, Casey, loves cashews, I thought I'd give it a try. He liked it - but my son, Max, loved it. Even though he picked off all the cashews. He said that if I would replace the cashews with peanuts, or leave the nuts off altogether, this would not just be a new favorite, but his favorite cookie in the entire world! High praise indeed. Test it out and see if you agree.

 BUTTERSCOTCH CASHEW BARS

1 cup plus 2 TBS. butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 TBS. packed brown sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 tsp. salt

Topping
1 package (10-11 oz.)butterscotch chips (I used Nestle's)
1/2 cup plus 2 TSB. light corn syrup
3 TBS. butter
2 tsp. water
2-1/2 cups salted cashew halves

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Combine the flour and salt; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Press into a greased 15-in.x10-in.x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, combine butterscotch chips, corn syrup, butter and water in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter and chips are melted. Spread over cooked crust. Sprinkle with cashews, press down lightly. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.
I made a half-recipe in a 9x9 pan for my first batch, and the proportions seemed to work well.