A mud hen is a bird with long legs and short wings that inhabits swamps and marshes. Such birds have been known as marsh hens, rails, coots or mud hens. This bird requires a great deal of effort to get airborne so it has to paddle across the water for quite a ways before it attains flight. This is what gives it the name “mud hen”, because it stirs up a lot of mud in the process. Maybe the sugary meringue topping on these bars resemble the color of mud.
“A shared recipe in the South is more precious than gold or silver, and it always comes with a story.”
Ingredients
1/4 Cup shortening
4 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 Cup sugar
1 whole egg
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Chopped Nuts
1 Cup Mini Marshmallows
3/4 Cup Nestle Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
Instructions
1. Butter or grease a 9×13 pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter, and sugar. Beat in the whole egg and the yolks of the other two eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, shift he flour, baking powder, and salt together.
4. Combine the flour mixture with the creamed mixture, blending thoroughly.
5. Spread the batter into the baking pan, patting with your hands if need be.
6. Sprinkle chocolate chips, marshmallows, and nuts over the batter.
7. In large bowl, beat the 2 egg whites until stiff. Fold in brown sugar until well combined.
8. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
9. Cool completely and then cut into bars.
10. Enjoy!
