Frosted Maple Bars for Family Tree

 

Our Cook the Books group have been reading and posting about  our current June/July selection, Family Tree by Susan Wiggs, which event I'm also hosting.  I read the book several years ago, and just re-read it for this round.  Delightful both times.  The heroine, Annie Rush, goes through so much loss in her story!  Totally unique and devastating experiences, that would wipe out most of us!  

But, going through them, along with her gave me an insider's glimpse of something I had never thought about, of what it would be like waking from a year long coma, learning again who you are and what had happened.  An entire life lost! The whole recovery process, rehabilitation, then putting the past behind and beginning again!  Not your ordinary cliche story.  Also learning about the whole maple syrup business, how it's done, etc. was a fascinating discovery.  Susan Wiggs keeps it real!

From the Publishers:

"Annie Harlow knows how lucky she is. The producer of a popular television cooking show, she loves her handsome husband and the beautiful Los Angeles home they share. And now, she’s pregnant with their first child. But in an instant, her life is shattered. And when Annie awakes from a yearlong coma, she discovers that time isn’t the only thing she’s lost.

Grieving and wounded, Annie retreats to her old family home in Switchback, Vermont, a maple farm generations old. There, surrounded by her free-spirited brother, their divorced mother, and four young nieces and nephews, Annie slowly emerges into a world she left behind years ago: the town where she grew up, the people she knew before, the high-school boyfriend turned judge. And with the discovery of a cookbook her grandmother wrote in the distant past, Annie unearths an age-old mystery that might prove the salvation of the family farm.

For my inspiration I wanted to do something maple flavor involved.  There were lots of ideas given here, but due to a meeting coming up, some sort of finger food was needed.  I came up with Frosted Maple Bars, from Lyuba Brookes at https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/frosted-maple-cookie-bars/#recipe

 After a few photos, it seemed that some toasted pecans would be nice.  Looked better too, more appetizing! 

Maple Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teas. maple extract (I switched out for vanilla)
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. maple extract (didn't have and used vanilla again)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup lightly toasted pecans, chopped

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar for a couple of minutes on medium-high speed.
Add egg and vanilla and beat until mixed. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl.
Beat in maple syrup.
Turn off and sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix ingredients on low speed until just combined. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and mix a couple more times.
Spread cookie batter in the baking dish, evenly.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Take out and let it cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
Beat butter on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes.
Turn off the mixer and sift in powder sugar and cinnamon. Start mixing on low until sugar is incorporated. Beat on high for a couple more minutes.
Drizzle in maple syrup and vanilla extract while mixing and beat for about 30 more seconds. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few more seconds.
Once cookie is completely cooled, evenly spread the frosting on top. Now add your toasted pecans if desired.

If you'd like to join in, there's still time to read the book, get inspired, cook something up, then post about it.  Our Cook the Books deadline is July 31st.I'll also be linking up with Heather for her July Foodie Reads Challenge, and with Marge, the Intrepid Reader and Baker for Weekend Cooking.  Be sure to visit for great food ideas and books.