Cherry Jewel Bars

Wonderful Christmas bars - very colourful and tasty to eat too. These look fantastic on your Christmas platter.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 48

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2⁄3 cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup margarine, softened
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups  mixed nuts
• 1 1⁄2 cups  halved  candied cherries
• 1  cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.
2. COMBINE flour with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture evenly and firmly onto bottom of ungreased 15 x 10 jelly roll pan or large baking tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. MEANWHILE, beat egg slightly in large bowl. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and salt. Add nuts cherries and chocolate chips. Toss mixture evenly to coat.
4. SPOON this mixture evenly over the baked layer. Press down firmly to adhere layers.
5. BAKE an additional 20 minutes.
6. COOL and cut into 1 1/2 by 2 inch bars. Do NOT let this cool too much or you will never get them out of the pan in nice pieces.