Apricot Bars

Apricot Bars
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 jar (18 ounces) apricot preserves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add flour, then pecans and coconut.
Press 3/4 of the mixture into an ungreased 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan. Bake 15 -20 minutes.
Remove from oven and spread the apricot preserves over top and crumble remaining nut mixture on top of preserves. Bake 20-25 minutes more. Cut while warm.
Makes four dozen bars.
Cook's note: I like to cut about 1/2 inch off the sides of the bars before I cut the squares. I feel the dark edges detract from a nice-looking bar.
Nutrition values per cookie: 126 calories, 7 g fat, 17 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 10 mg cholesterol, 13 mg sodium.
Zena Olson, Palatine, Grand Prize winner and 1st place Bar category