Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #2)

by Joanne Fluke

Chocolate Highlander Cookie Bars Preheat oven to 350° F., rack in middle position. 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks, ½ pound) ½ cup powdered sugar (make sure there’s no big lumps) ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups flour (no need to sift) 4 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork) 1 cup melted butter, cooled to room temp. (2 sticks, ½ pound) 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup flour (don’t bother to sift) 2 ½ cups chocolate chips (measure BEFORE they’re melted) 1/3 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar to sprinkle on top of the pan FIRST STEP: Cream butter with ½ cup powdered sugar and salt. Add flour and mix well. Pat it out in a greased 9-inch by-13-inch pan with your fingers. (That’s a standard cake pan.) Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. That makes the shortbread crust. Remove from oven. (Don’t turn off oven!) SECOND STEP: Mix eggs with melted butter and white sugar. Add baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix thoroughly. (A hand mixer will do the job if you’re tired of stirring.) Melt the chocolate chips in a small double boiler, a pan over hot water on the stove, or nuke them for 3 minutes in