Congo Bars Recipe

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Use the soft butter to grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until they are light.

Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.

With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat only until the flour is well blended. Remove the bowl from the beaters and use a wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a metal palette knife or rubber spatula to spread it to the edges. Bake the mixture for 25 minutes or until it is golden brown and firm to the touch in the middle.

Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack. Use a small sharp knife to make 3 cuts down the length of the pan, 5 cuts across it, yielding 24 bars. Remove them from the pan with a metal palette knife or a blunt table knife.

Note: The recipe doubles easily. Bake the bars in 2 9-by-13-inch pans and store leftover bars in airtight containers or zipper bags in the freezer for no longer than 2 months.